


Double Tap

by smileyjunior



Category: The Killing
Genre: Addiction, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Case Fic, Explicit Language, Implied Drug Use, Murder Mystery, Seattle, Suspense, allusions to drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27406792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smileyjunior/pseuds/smileyjunior
Summary: A new murder case is personal to Holder, Linden tries to help him stay on course, and the ensuing investigation twists and turns and uncovers secrets.
Relationships: Stephen Holder & Sarah Linden
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> 2-weeks after Rosie Larsen.
> 
> If anyone knows Veena Sud, or knows how to get in touch with her—or if anyone could send her a chapter of my work I just really want to ask her if my writing is accurate to the characters. It’s important to me, haha.  
> I’m kind of kidding, but I’m also not.

November 17, 2013  
Day 1

Sarah Linden heaved a great sigh as she walked from the hallway to the open screen door of her new home, taking a breather after having just brought in yet another moving box. Although the temperature outside was quite cold, she had disrobed her brown and white patterned sweater a few hours ago, and it hung on the staircase bannister. Sarah now wore a white t-shirt and jeans, her red hair tied into a ponytail, she stood with her hands on her hips, her breaths visible in wisps of vapor every time she exhaled.

Just outside of the door was a small front porch, with a white railing to match the main coat of the exterior of the house, while the accent around the windows was a deep grey-blue, the same color as the roof. The white paint was peeling in places, and the house could certainly use some touch ups, but Linden hadn’t minded about how worn down the house had looked. She had a new home, and that was all that mattered.

Sarah walked outside and down the stairs back to the the rental truck, and saw it was nearly empty. She hadn’t had a lot of things to begin with, mostly just clothes and some kitchen supplies; she remembered with an ache that Rick had had to send those back from Sonoma. Most of what was left in the truck was furniture she had needed to purchase, and she still had no clue how the hell she was going to get out of the truck much less in the house.

When it became clear, after solving the spectacle that was the Rosie Larsen case, that Sarah was staying in Washington and not moving, she had begun to look for a new home, and had decided on a property on Vashon Island located about 13 miles from Seattle, and only accessible by ferry. It was much different from the life—or lives depending on if you counted each foster home in the many different neighborhoods Seattle had to offer—she had lived amid the hustle and bustle of the city and suburbs in Seattle. She never had quite experienced solitude such as this, but was willing to give it a try.

A car drove down the long driveway to her new secluded home. Linden poked her head around the truck to see who had driven up, and a smirk crossed her face as Stephen Holder stepped outside of the car, in his signature grey hoodie and jacket, breathing hot air into his hands before rubbing them together. When Holder saw Sarah looking at him, a grin spread across his face, he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, “Yo, Linden! You’re gonna catch ya death out here dressed like that!”

Sarah shrugged, “Not really bothering me. Been working for a while, couldn’t even tell.”

Holder walked right up to her, towering over her as tall as he was, “Ya know that’s a sign of hypothermia right?”

“Pretty sure it’s only bad if I stop shivering,” said Sarah quirking her lip. “Which I haven’t done in the first place. What are you doing here?”

Holder put a hand to his chest dramatically as though he had just been hit, “Thats the welcome I get from my BFF? I’m hurt Linden.”

“You know what I mean.”

He put his arm down and shrugged, “Figured I might try to help ya get some of this inside. That alright?”

Sarah shrugged and glanced back at the truck, “Uh, yeah. Sure, I just have a few more things in the truck, they’re all heavy though.”

Holder cracked his knuckles with a mischievous grin, “Good thing I used I used to be a bodybuilder! Stand back and watch Linden.”

She smirked, “I’m gonna help Holder.”

He gave her a sly grin with his eyebrows raised, “What, you don’t trust me?”

“It’ll go faster this way.”

Together they climbed inside of the truck, and pushed down and rather large cardboard box that had been messily taped together.

“Damn woman, whatcha got in here?” asked Holder panting slightly.

Sarah chortled, “It’s my bed. What happened to being a bodybuilder?”

Holder grumbled under his breath as a response and Sarah quirked up her lip in amusement. He jumped down from the truck and waited for her to push the box towards him. Once she pushed it, he caught the box easily enough and started to stumble towards the stairs of her house. Too proud to let him do it himself, she jumped down and helped him get the box into the house.

“Must be some big ass bed,” Holder panted when they finally set the box down, his forehead dripping with sweat. He took off his jacket and threw it on the railing to join her sweater, then rolled the sleeves of his hoodie up.

Sarah, also breathing rather heavily, jerked her chin up, “C’mon Holder, I did most of the heavy lifting. Only a few more boxes.”

As they headed back to the truck, Holder turned his head towards her, “So, you enjoyin’ the Island life?”

“Haven’t really had a chance to, you know, experience it,” said Sarah as she climbed inside the back of the vehicle, “I only came out here once before, to look at the property and sign the papers. That was just a few days ago,” she pushed a rectangular box towards him.

“Kinda rushed into it don’t ya think?” Holder caught the box and Gently lowered it to the ground.

Sarah smirked, “Figured it was time. Besides, did you really want me to stay on your couch for who knows how long?”

They lifted the box together and walked towards the house, “You tellin’ me you didn’t like our sleepovers? Yo that hurts!”

“A girl’s gotta have her own place,” she smirked walking backwards up the stairs to the porch.”

The two of them moved back and forth from the truck to the house until 45-minutes later there were only two boxes left. Sweaty and panting, Holder and Sarah placed another box down inside the house.

Sarah’s cell phone started to ring in her pocket, she looked over to Holder who waved her away, “I’ll get the last one.”

“You sure?”

“I got this girl, answer ya phone.”

“Don't hurt yourself!” Sarah called after him as he headed back outside. She opened the phone and put it to her ear, “Linden here.”

“ _Seattle Dispatch, we’ve got a Homicide in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle, your lieutenant says you’re next up._ ”

Linden sighed, “Alright, um... give me a moment.” She ran and found a scrap of paper along with a pen, and laid it out on the table the previous owner had left, “What’s the address?”

“ _12 S. Park Ave Apartment 3C._ ”

Sarah’s breath caught in her throat—she knew that address. “Is anyone on scene yet?”

“ _Officers are en route._ ”

“We’ll be there.” Linden hung up the phone feeling slightly numb, she turned and saw Holder dragging the last box inside looking awfully proud of himself.

His smile dropped at the look on her face, his chest still heaving from hauling the box, “What?”

——

South Park was a neighborhood in Seattle south of Georgetown across the Duwamish Waterway. From Sarah’s house on the island, Linden and Holder drove to the Vashon ferry terminal and boarded the Kittitas, which sailed into the Fauntleroy port, the whole trip taking just a little over an hour.

The flashers and sirens of Holder’s car had been blaring since driving off of the Kittitas, he pulled up to the apartment building on South Park Avenue where the police activity was heavy, the yellow crime scene tape blew in the chilly wind. As soon as the car stopped, he killed the siren and got out of the car, the door slamming behind him as he strode up to the building. Linden, who had been riding shotgun, undid her seatbelt and threw open the door leaving it open so she could catch up to her partner.

“Detective? Your door...” a patrol officer tried to point out to Linden that she had left it open.

“You close it,” she snapped and ducked under the tape. Holder had already gone inside the building, “Holder, wait!” He was halfway up the stairs and didn’t stop when she called his name, “Holder, please.”

Linden caught up with him, and grabbed the back of his jacket, gently jerking him back, not so that he would fall down the stairs, but so that he would stop.

“Linden, stop!” Holder turned and faced her, looking even further down then usual because he was standing on a higher step.

Sarah looked up at him imploringly, and raised a hand as though reaching out to touch his arm, but she stopped herself before she did, “I just want... I want you to be ready. And, if you want to walk away? From this case, right here, right now? I’ll understand, I’ll talk to Carlson.”

Holder scowled at her, “I’m fine.” Then he turned and proceeded up the rest of the stairs.

She stayed right behind him as they walked onto the landing of a hallway lined with apartment doors. 3C was easy to spot because of the activity going on outside of it, CSU and uniforms walked in and out of the open door. Holder walked to the open doorway and stood on the threshold, he looked inside the apartment, and froze.

Then Sarah saw what he saw, the body lying about ten feet away, she looked up at Holder and saw his gaze fixed onto the victim. Slowly, Holder walked into the apartment, the apartment that he knew, because he had been here before, more then once. As he drew closer, he could clearly see two gun shot wounds in the chest of the victim. In the chest of his former mentor, Gil Sloane, who now laid dead on his own floor.

“Holder... Holder!” Linden tugged on her partner’s arm, in an attempt to break whatever trance he had fallen into when his eyes had found Gil—his once trusted friend, mentor, and sponsor.

Finally, Holder’s head slowly moved to look at her, the concern on her face irked him for a reason that he couldn’t identify, and he jerked his arm out of her grip. If Sarah was was hurt by the action, she didn’t let it show.

Holder moved away from Linden, and looked around the scene. Gil was lying down by his brown sitting chair in his study, to the right was a desk with a green chair, and a book case was up against the wall. An empty aquarium tank that had once sat on a small stand against the wall on the left, was smashed at Gil’s feet, where water had cascaded over the carpet. A wardrobe chest was to the left of the brown chair, and a floor lamp beside it had been knocked over onto the chest.

The coroner knelt by Gil’s head and was peering at his chest. Linden went over to him, “What do you have?”

The coroner sat up straight, “He died recently, just a few hours ago if not less. This is odd though, someone dug out the bullets.”

“What?” asked Linden perplexed.

The coroner nodded, “Dug them out, so they won’t be able to help you.”

Linden ground her teeth, and looked up to see if Holder had heard. He had, based on the look on his face, he was scowling intensely at the bullet wounds. Linden looked away from him briefly, then nodded at the tank, “Was it always empty?”

Holder nodded looking down at the smashed tank, “He didn’t have time, ya know to actually take care of somethin’ alive,” he shrugged. “I mean that might’ve changed though, when he... retired.”

Suddenly a commotion could be heard in the hallway, shouting began to grow louder and louder. Linden and Holder exchanged a brief glance with one another, before they headed for the front door. Instinctively both detective’s hands went to their holsters, but when they got out into the hallway, they saw the commotion had been the result of some Seattle City P.D. uniforms trying to hold back a few King County Sheriff deputies. Linden cursed under her breath and turned to Holder, jerking her head towards the scuffle, “You know any of those guys?”

Holder gave a sharp nod looking at the commotion, “Yeah, Bryson Garrity, County dick,” Holder walked out of the apartment and towards the commotion. “Yo Garrity! Chill the fuck out.”

“Holder? That you?” The one who Holder had called out, Garrity, had tan skin and a freckled face that complimented the tan shirt of the K.C.S.O. uniform. “We heard it over the radio, it true? That really Gil in there?”

“The hell you listenin’ to S.P.D. channels for?” Holder had walked up to stand right in front of Garrity, “You know better than anyone you can’t come anywhere near here, you should go while you still can.”

“Man screw you Holder,” Garrity spat out at him. “Think your better then us all because you got that shiny detectives badge? With the big boys now?” He looked over at Linden who hadn’t moved, “Or, little ladies that is.”

Out of nowhere, Holder shoved Garrity hard in the chest, his two hands had shot out unexpectedly and made hard contact with the deputy’s pecs. Garrity stumbled back, then recovered looking murderous, ready for a fight. As soon as he stepped forward though, Linden stepped right out in front of Holder holding her palms flat out with her arms extended out in the direction of both men, and spoke in a loud commanding voice, “Thats enough.” Her head whipped between the two of them, “We have a job to do, and by the look of your uniform, so do you.” She gave the deputy a fierce look, “If I were to call County and tell them that you invited yourself to a crime scene that wasn’t even your department’s responsibility, what would they say?”

Garrity glowered at her, but Linden’s scowl didn’t waver. She kept her arm up until he turned around and left with the two other deputies. Holder made some sort of noise like sucking his teeth and turned to go back into Gil’s apartment, but Linden grabbed a handful of his hoodie hanging out from his unzipped jacket, and dragged him with an immense amount of strength down the hall and around the corner.

As soon as they were out of sight, Linden threw Holder against the wall with a loud thud, he just managed to avoid hitting his head against the wall. He scowled at her indignant, “The hell Linden?!”

“You,” the look on her face was savage as she pointed a threatening finger inches from his nose, “need to keep your shit together. It’s either that, or you go home right now. I’m sorry about Gil, I am. And I know this is hard, I get it, I do. But you can’t go off half cocked pulling some stupid shit like what you just tried to do. Do you understand me?”

“You’re one to talk.”

Her breath hitched, she almost stepped back but instead she got closer to him, “You’re right. I’m speaking from experience, so you pull yourself together or I send you home. You understand me?”

Holder shook his head and made a sound blowing air out of his lips. He pushed off of the wall to leave but Linden slammed him back up against the wall her fists clenched in his hoodie again, “Do you understand me?”

“Yeah, I got it,” he glared down at her.

“Good.” Linden gave him one last soft shove, much softer this time, and walked away back around the corner to the crime scene.

Stepping back over the threshold of Gil’s doorway, her movement seemed to alert the coroner of her presence. He looked up, now kneeling on Gil’s other side, “Everything alright out there?”

Linden ignored his question, “Do you have anything else for us?”

With a sigh the coroner looked down at the body, “Not right now. I’ll give my complete findings after the autopsy.”

She gave a curt nod and turned on her heel going back to the door where Holder was sulking. Linden walked right past him and went back down the hallway. With one last look at Gil, Holder followed her back downstairs.

The detectives stepped back out into the crisp cold air as the sun was beginning to set. Not that you could tell, as the sky was overcast, but the significant drop in the temperature did indicate that the sun was indeed leaving the sky. Sarah reached into her pocket and pulled out a carton of cigarettes and a lighter, she took a cig and placed it in between her lips then held one out for Holder who took it after a brief hesitation. Linden lit the lighter and held it out to Holder’s cig until the end burned orange, then she the same for hers inhaling deeply before blowing out the smoke.

After each of them had a few hits of nicotine, Linden jerked her head, “Let’s go.” The pair of them smoked as they walked to the car, and even as they got inside and drove away to the station.  
——

The King County Sheriff’s Office was located in downtown Seattle inside the same building as the King County Courthouse. In other words, it was no where near South Park. Bryson Garrity made record time as he drove his one-man cruiser back to the station. Throwing open the door of the precinct, he stormed to his lieutenant’s office and barged in. The lieutenant, Alonzo Sanchez, looked up clearly unimpressed, “Can I help you with something deputy?”

“Sir,” Garrity breathed out heavily, “our old L.T. you ‘member him? Gil Sloane?” Sanchez nodded, “He’s dead, murdered apparently.”

Sanchez stood slowly, “What? Gil?”

Garrity nodded, “They gave the case to city! City! I mean—don’t we got a right to put whoever done this behind bars?”

Conflicted the lieutenant looked down, “We can’t investigate one of our own, you know that.”

“He retired!”

“Two months ago! Chief’ll lose his head if we go anywhere near this, and may I remind you that you’re not a detective?!” Sanchez shook his head. “Let me make a few phone calls see what I can find out. In the meantime, you go back to your duties deputy.”

“But sir—”

“That’s an order!”

With a spiteful glare, Garrity marched out of the office, just as quickly as he had gone in.

——

Holder sat in the passenger seat of his own car as Sarah drove back to Seattle P.D. Headquarters in the middle of downtown Seattle. The night was presenting normal Seattle weather, overcast and cloudy, which meant the tops of the skyscrapers downtown were hidden in the clouds. Even though it was now dark outside, Holder looked up and saw the precinct was no exception. The top of the building was shrouded in clouds, and the lights from the windows illuminated the hazy sky.

Whereas Seattle P.D. Headquarters was located in a high sky rise, County was inside of the King County Courthouse, a building not nearly as big. He’d never given this much thought before, but now that he did, Holder couldn’t help but think if his former mentor had ever seen himself working for the city police, in a tall high rise building. After all, Gil had gotten Holder the gig, hadn’t he?

Linden pulled into the parking lot of the precinct and turned off the car. She looked over at her partner who had remained silent since they had left Gil’s place. Linden figured he was probably pissed at her, but to some respect she didn’t care, “You ready?”

Holder looked over at her, and without giving a verbal response, he turned and got out of the car, Linden mirroring his movements. The detectives headed inside the precinct, and found themselves among the officers, sergeants, detectives, all of them working nonstop, unaware of the turmoil Holder was currently experiencing. He and Linden walked down the hall into their office, and no sooner had they taken off their jackets then a uniformed rookie knocked on the open office door holding a manilla folder, “These are from CSU? I was told to give them to you.”

Linden went over and took the folder, “Thanks,” she nodded and closed the door. She placed the file down onto her desk, and reached for the eraser next to the whiteboard. Linden rubbed it across the board until there was a blank slate, then she picked the folder back up along with some tape and started to put up the pictures from the crime scene.

Holder didn’t get up, or ask if he could help. He sat in the chair behind his desk and simply watched as each of the photos went up. Gil, the gun shot wounds, the broken aquarium, the blood...

“Holder?” Linden had been calling his name, Holder’s head snapped up and he looked at her expectantly. Her lips opened, but no sound came.

“What is it Linden?” Some of his abrasive behavior from earlier had dissipated, what he exhibited now was something akin to an empty husk.

“We caught the cause pretty late in the day,” said Sarah, stating the obvious. “I think I’m gonna head out, start fresh tomorrow. Maybe you should too.”

Holder shook his head, “Nah I think... I’m gonna wait.”

Her eyebrows pinched together in confusion, “Wait for what?”

He readjusted himself in the chair, “Knowin’ the boys down at county, they’re gonna... they’ll do a end of watch,” he was struggling to explain himself. “...I wanna hear it. Listen to it.”

“End of Watch? That’s for officers killed in the line of duty...” Sarah explained gently.

Holder huffed and turned away wiping a tear that had escaped from the corner of his eye, “He retired 2-months ago Linden, and now the man’s been gunned down in cold blood. They’ll do it,” he sniffed, and let out a frustrated groan, pressing the palms of his hands into his eyes. “Ya know, Gil betrayed me, but... he saved me. That man saved me. I’d be dead in a gutter if he hadn’t...” Holder shook his head and put his hands down. “But then he went and did all the shit, with the mayor, with what he said to me, no-good junkie. But that fuckin’ bastard saved my life!” Holder chuckled and tears fell freely down his cheeks, unable to stop them he let them be.

Sarah looked at Holder, at the internal struggle and confusion evident on his face. She clenched her jaw, and took a step toward him, “Okay, he betrayed you, he treated you like shit. But, apparently, he wasn’t always that person. He saw something in you, and Gil knew, he knew you could be a great cop if you got your shit together. He wouldn’t have tried to help you if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have continued worked with you if he hadn’t known. So yeah, he was a bastard, but he was also...” She took a deep breath, “a good man.”

Holder nodded silently, his eyes and cheeks shined with tears. Sarah looked at him, and after a moment she swallowed and uncomfortably asked, “You want me to stay? Listen to the call?”

“Nah,” Holder shook his head, “if ya don’t mind I... I wanna do it by myself.” He sniffed and looked at the clock, “Besides, you gotta make the ferry Linden. First night in the new place right?”

Sarah gave him a soft smile, “Well, I’ll be sleeping on the floor for now because I need to unpack those boxes, but yeah. You’re right.”

Holder nodded, “So take my car, drive safe. I’ll have a uni take me home. And ah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sarah stared at him for another moment, before she gave a nod, “Alright, g’night.”

“‘Night.”

——

A very tall, handsome, African American man named Benjamin Abani sat in his stylistic apartment, drinking a glass of brandy when his cell phone rang, “Hello?”

“ _It’s me. Gil Sloane is dead._ ”

Abani’s eyebrows rose slightly, “Shame, I’m sorry to hear that.”

There was a huff, “ _I’m sure you are. I needed to double check—_ ”

“We’re covered,” Abani assured him. “No one will know.”

“ _They better not,_ ” Lesley Adams snapped. “ _Or it’ll be you next._ ”

The phone clicked off, and Abani put it down before he reached for his drink again, part of him just remembering why he was glad he was no longer Adams’ campaign manager.

——

On the ferry back to Vashon, Linden couldn’t help the small feeling eating away at her that she shouldn’t have left her partner alone. She hadn’t known Holder very long, but he was her friend, and she had been willing to push aside her hesitation of confronting emotion for him.

Yet at the same time, Holder had truly seemed to want to listen to the call by himself. The boat was pulling into the port, and she decided she’d call him first thing tomorrow.

——

The officers at County gathered around the radio, there was a crackle of static, and then the dispatcher’s voice came through the speaker:

“ _Sixer Alpha._ ”

——

Holder’s elbows dug into his knees, he held his hands in a prayer like position as he leaned forward listening:

“ _Sixer Alpha._

“ _Sixer Alpha, Lieutenant Gil Sloane. We thank-you for your service to the people of Seattle Washington. We are forever indebted and grateful for your dedication to protect and help the people of this city._

“ _Sixer Alpha. Rest In Peace. 10-42. End of Watch._ ”

Holder hid his face in his hands and put his head down.


	2. Day 2

November 18, 2013  
Day 2

A haze of fog hung over the city the next morning as Sarah drove from the Fauntleroy ferry terminal to Holder’s apartment in Capitol Hill. She had tried to call him several times that morning to no avail, so after an hour of attempts she gave up and decided to go to him in person. 

Seattle has no shortage of coffee shops, but Capitol Hill was notoriously known for its laid-back coffee shops, so Linden stopped by one that was close to Holder’s home, and picked up two cups of coffee and some pastries. The coffee aroma was a comfort in the small car space as she pulled up to his apartment building and killed the engine. Though opening the car door killed the warm atmosphere as the chilled morning air blew into the vehicle. She climbed out leaving the beverages and pastries in the car before she closed the door before her and headed towards his apartment unit.

Not too long ago, Sarah had showed up unannounced to Holder’s place late at night with her son, Jack. During their unprecedented stay, Holder had told her there was a spare key under the green flower pot he kept outside of his place. Sarah was grateful for that information now, because after standing outside of his door for a few minutes knocking and yielding no results, she was able to retrieve the key and use it to opened his door.

The inside of the apartment smelled strongly of cigarette smoke and alcohol, Sarah could see empty beer bottles littering the kitchen and living room. Her partner was on the couch, gone from the world, his mouth open as his head rested on the arm of his couch, a smoking cigarette between his fingers slowly burning down the ashes falling to the carpet. 

A wave a fury and concern washed over her as she took in the state of him. Sarah didn’t give a shit about how untidy his apartment was, what she cared about was that Holder had drank himself to sleep and had come close to burning down his apartment. 

Sarah stomped over to him and ripped the smoke out of his hand stamping it out in the ashtray that was set two feet away from him on his coffee table. Taking the cigarette out of Holder’s hand had woken him up immediately, he blinked bleary red-rimmed eyes that slowly moved up to the soft glare on her face, “Linden?”

“Get up Holder,” Sarah said picking up the ashtray and taking it into the kitchen. “Shower, be ready to go in fifteen minutes. There’s coffee in the car.”

Groaning and moving slowly, Holder sat up and stretched his arms reaching out before he pushed himself up to a standing position. “How’d you even get in here?”

“Green flower pot,” Sarah said collecting the empty beer bottles. “C’mon Holder, we have work to do.”

Holder walked down the small hallway to his bedroom and disappeared behind a door for a few minutes. Sarah heard the water turn on, she spent the time he was showering, getting rid of the rest of the empty bottles and taking care of the ashtray. 10-minutes later Holder came out of his bedroom wearing his jacket and hoodie, with his holster clipped to his belt that he wore on his jeans. She gave him a once over, and decided he looked more presentable, as did his apartment. 

“Alright,” he said looking at her with swollen eyes, “I’m ready.”

Maternal instincts kicking into high gear once again at the sight of him, Sarah glared, “I don’t ever want to find you like that again, do you hear me?” The stern look on Linden’s face reminded Holder of his sister, and he almost smiled. It must have shown, because Sarah got right up in his face and glared at him even fiercer, if that was even possible. “I mean it Holder. Don’t pull shit like that again. You wanna die? Is that what you want?”

“Alright ma,” Holder huffed and tried to push past her. For the second time in two days, Sarah grabbed him by the front of his hoodie and slammed him up against the wall. Indignant, Holder glowered at her. “Fucking hell Linden! Give it a rest already, gonna think you start to like me in a different kinda way, the way you keep puttin’ ya hands on me—”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Sarah snapped looking even more enraged at him. “Get your ass outside and into the car.”

Holder shrugged her off and trudged out of his front door. After a moment Sarah followed him, and locked the door behind her.

——

The atmosphere at the King County Sheriff’s Office was somber to say the least. Every lieutenant, including L.T. Alonzo Sanchez, was doing their best to keep morale up, but there was so much that they could do. Undercover’s had just been sent out for the day, and night patrol was heading in. Sanchez watched the officers barely acknowledging each other as night patrol came inside and day shift started heading out.

Bryson Garrity walked into the station with a firm grip on his duffel bag, Sanchez stood and walked to the doorway of his office, “Garrity! My office, now.”

Garrity looked up and heaved a big sigh, throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder as he walked into the lieutenant’s office, “Sir?”

Sanchez wiped a hand over his mouth and contemplated his next words, “I got in touch with a guy over at S.P.D.. Gil’s case belongs to a Detective Linden, uh...” He looked down and snapped trying to remember, “Linden! Sarah Linden, been a Homicide cop 6 years. Get this, her partner—”

“Stephen Holder,” Garrity said in an unfriendly tone. “Yeah I know.”

Sanchez gave a sharp nod and put a fist down onto the desk, “All I know is, Gil was shot, and there was something weird about his body. But that’s all I got.”

Garrity nodded and turned around calling behind his shoulder, “Thanks.”

——

Linden pulled into into the parking lot at the Seattle Police Station, and killed the engine. Holder was leaning up against the window, his breath fogging up the glass. She stared at him waiting for him to move, and when he didn’t she spoke softly, “Holder...”

“Yeah,” he sighed, “I’m movin’, don't get all handsy with me again.” Holder pushed himself up to a sitting position and opened the car door. He waited for her to get out before they both walked towards the station.

The detectives stepped through the doors and under the bright fluorescent lights of the station, Holder went to walk down the hallway towards their office, when he noticed Linden had stopped and was no longer beside him. He made an abrupt turn to see her still standing in the lobby. “You waitin’ on someone?” 

Sarah licked her lips before opening her mouth to respond, “I need to go see the coroner.” She said this rather softly, it was a wonder Holder heard her at all.

The rather rambunctious attitude that had been building up in Holder, melted away rapidly as did the color in his face. He shrugged a shoulder, “So what, you goin’ without your sensei?” 

“You don’t have to come,” Sarah said shaking her head. “I can just relay the information to you.”

Holder sniffed and shrugged his shoulders back, “I’m fine Linden, let’s go.” He pushed his way past her to the door leading to the stairwell.

The morgue was located in the basement of the precinct, there were no windows, and the lighting was eerily dim, which was exaggerated by the grey-blue walls and tiles. The actual autopsy theater, had access to better lighting, but that was for when the autopsies were being performed. The lighting was able to be focused on the subjects lying on the metal slabs in the chilled room.  
It was a drastic difference from bright fluorescent lighting upstairs which at times could give off a creamy yellow atmosphere, colors usually associated with bright and happy. Not the right type of feel, for a police station. But the atmosphere down here matched the visual surroundingings, as well as Holder’s attitude. Macabre. Sarah kept throwing side glances at him as they made it to the bottom of the stairs and walked down the hall to the theater. 

Holder headed into the theater first, a white sheet covered Gil’s torso and legs. The coroner looked up when the detectives walked inside, and greeted them both with a nod. “Morning detectives.”

“You said you had something for us?” asked Sarah, wanting to get of here as soon as possible. 

The coroner nodded, “I’m putting time of death between 4 and 6 a.m. yesterday morning, based on the lividity and temp of the body from yesterday. Also,” he lifted a part of the sheet to reveal the jagged gunshot wounds, “I may know what was used to dig out the bullets.”

“What’s that?” Holder asked walking up to the body, but not looking down.

“Cuts inside the wounds were done post mortem, and the pattern suggests a knife. The jaggedness of the cuts, leads me to believe it would be a serrated knife.”

“There any to identify the knife that could have done it?”

The coroner’s head tilted thoughtfully, “If you bring it to me, maybe. In the mean time I can do a cast of the wound to get you mold of the weapon.”

Holder scowled, “That’s a no then.”

“Thanks for the update,” said Sarah just as the coroner gave Holder a dirty look. She turned and headed back towards the door, “C’mon Holder.” 

Holder and the coroner glared at each other for another beat, before her partner turned and walked out of the theater and back down the hall. Sarah nodded her thanks to the coroner one last time, then followed Holder out. She caught up with him fairly easily, and they ascended the stairs together, “Let’s head back to the office,” she said. “We can see what we have so far, and CSU might have found something.” Holder didn’t answer her.

Back on the main floor, the detectives headed down the hall and into their office. A manilla folder was lying flat on Linden’s desk, and it was not the same one from yesterday. She took off her jacket and placed it on the back of her chair before picking the folder up and opening it, “They found some DNA...”

“What?” Holder’s head had snapped to her.

Linden shook her head, “No results yet, they’re running it through the system.” She looked up, “they found female DNA in his bed.”

Holder snorted and shook his head, an almost smile gracing his lips. Linden closed the folder and looked up at the whiteboard. “Why would someone kill a retired lieutenant, and dig the bullets out?”

“They don’t wanna get caught,” Holder sat down in the chair behind his desk.

“But digging out bullets, that’s... extreme isn’t it?”

“Nothin’s extreme after Rosie Larsen.” 

Linden turned to him quickly, her eyes wide. Holder’s eyebrows contracted, “What?”

“Gil was part of the conspiracy,” Linden started to say. “With the mayor—ex-mayor. I followed him one night, Gil I mean. I had had a reporter call him asking about the Richmond photo, he freaked out, jumped in his car, and drove out to the construction site and met with Adams’ campaign director Benjamin Abani, Gil started yelling at him.”

“What’s your point Linden?” snapped Holder. “We already know Gil was dirty, aight?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” Linden’s voice had become breathy, her heart was racing the way it did whenever she thought she had a lead. “I’m saying—we never prosecuted Adams remember?”

“Yeah,” Holder’s arms went out flippantly. “We made that deal so what?”

“Gil didn’t make a deal,” Linden put her hands down onto Holder’s desk. “It’s been 2-weeks since Adams lost the election and wasn’t able to deliver the “promise land” or whatever to the people who were helping him win. So, with no mayoral perks... what if Gil grew a conscious?”

Holder’s eyes widened understanding, “And Adams had him killed?”

Linden pushed off of the desk and lifted her arms, a smirk playing at her lips. She turned and picked up the white board marker, writing ‘GUILTY CONSCIOUS?’ then capped the marker and put it back down looking at what she had written, “Let’s go pay Abani a visit, see what he has to say.”

——

On paper, Pioneer Square seemed like a great destination. The first established neighborhood in Seattle, Pioneer Square was a historic district that had classic architecture, beautiful trees, and art galleries. But the neighborhood was also plagued by an extreme presence of homelessness, gentrification, and junkies. It was because of this that County usually sent their undercover vice deputies to patrol in the area.

Cami Shoal, a U.C. at County for more then 3-years, was walking down 5th Avenue, when a County patrol car pulled up next to her chirping the siren and turning on the flashers. The cop got out and reached to his belt for his handcuffs.

Cami raised her arms in surrender, “Naw man, I didn’t do nothin’! You nothin’ on me mista police!”

The cop backed her into the brick wall of a building, “Shut your fucking mouth and turn around!” He turned and shoved Cami so that he could pull her arms behind her back, “We got you on possession, you’re under arrest.”

“That’s bull man! Bull!” 

The cop wrapped a hand around her arm and dragged her to the car pushing her inside, before getting back behind the wheel and driving away.

“Garrity what the fuck?! You coulda blown my cover you friggin’ idiot.” Cami yelled once he pulled away from the curb.

Garrity looked up at the rear view mirror, “Where were you yesterday? You didn’t report back in at night.”

Cami scoffed, “Not that it’s any of your fuckin’ business, but I got word of an operation runnin’ out of a halfway house. Sanchez approved the O.T., why the fuck do you care?!”

“Gil’s dead.” Garrity adjusted his grip on the steering wheel, and looked back up into the rear view mirror, “He’s dead Cami. Murdered.”

She gaped at him, “No fucking way...”

“Yeah, I know.”

Cami shook her head, “Who’s got the case?”

He scoffed, “City does, and get this: Holder’s workin’ it.”

She let out a soft breath, and sat back in the seat shaking her head. After a few silent minutes, Cami spoke again, “We goin’ to the station?”

“Yeah, gotta “book” you right?”

She snorted, “You’re a fuckin’ asshole.”


	3. Day 2 (continued)

Benjamin Abani’s address was listed in Queen Anne, a neighborhood to the north of Downtown Seattle. Linden drove herself and Holder to Abani’s townhome, in a safe residential neighborhood.

“Campaign man’s done well for himself,” said Holder as he got out of the car and looked up at the townhouse. “Makes ya wonder what else he’s done to get that kinda money. I mean, Adams didn’t even win.”

Sarah shut her door and headed toward the home, “Let’s go.”

The town house was one of three in a unit, it was 3-stories high in addition to a roof deck, and looked like it had been built by a hipster designer. The 2nd and 3rd floor had giant square windows surrounded by tan and brown paint. The first floor had a blue front door, and red paneling that went around the building. A small set of steps led up to the front door, Linden got there first and rang the doorbell. Shortly after, the door opened and there stood Benjamin Abani.

“Well,” Abani said with a smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “To what do I owe the pleasure detectives?”

Linden and Holder pulled out their badges and showed them, “We’d like to ask you a few questions Mr. Abani,” said Linden putting her badge away.

“May I ask what this is concerning?” 

“We’re sellin’ flowers,” said Holder. “The hell you think it’s about Einstein?”

“May we come in?” asked Linden, fighting the urge not to turn and glare at Holder.

Abani stepped back and raised an arm inviting the detectives inside. Linden and Holder walked up a set of wooden stairs to a landing with a kitchen and dining area, and another set of stairs leading to the third floor. Linden and Holder turned as Abani made his way up the stairs right behind them. He leaned against the bannister and crossed his arms, “So, what is this about?”

“Do you remember Gil Sloane?” Linden asked watching his face closely.

“The retired lieutenant, yes I do. What about him?”

“He was murdered,” she explained. “Yesterday morning.”

Abani’s mouth opened slightly then closed, he shifted his feet and arms keeping them crossed but almost hugging them tighter to his chest, “Well I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. “I’m unsure as to why you’re telling me though.”

Holder smirked and stepped closer, “You been in touch with him since ya bombed the election?”

A small shadow crossed the man’s face briefly, “No, haven’t seen him since.”

“‘Cause the circumstances surrounding Gil’s death, well, they’re a little strange ya get me?”

Abani’s eyes narrowed, “No, I don’t get you.” 

“Jus’ sounds like somethin’ you’d cover up. We both know you done it before.”

A small smile played at the corners of Abani’s mouth, “I’m sure I have no clue you’re talking about, especially since you stood in the mayors office and said you wouldn’t be pressing any charges of any alleged wrongdoings.”

“Where were you yesterday between 4 and 6 a.m. yesterday?” Linden asked coldly.

Abani turned to her, “Right here at home, asleep.”

“Is there anyone who can verify your whereabouts?”

He sighed, “I live alone.”

“So that’s a no then,” said Holder.

“Yeah, that’s a no.”

Linden nodded, “Do you own a gun, Mr. Abani?”

The man turned and looked at her straight in the eye, “No I do not.”

“You mind if we take a look around your place?”

Abani smiled, “As it so happens, I do mind. You’ll need a warrant. And good luck getting one, because I know you have no probable cause.

Sarah didn’t respond, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a business card, “Seems we’re not meant to part ways yet,” she said as she held the card out. “We’ll be in touch Mr. Abani.” Abani took the card from her hand and nodded. “We’ll see ourselves out.”

The detectives walked back down the stairs and outside to the car, Holder quickened his pace to catch up with Linden, “What do you think?” 

She sighed, “No reason not to believe him, but he seemed... squirmy, if that makes sense.”

Holder chuckled, “I can’t believe you used that word.”

“I couldn’t think of a better descriptor,” she said pulling out a smoke and lighting it. “You think the cops at County knew what Gil was into?”

Holder leaned on the car with his arms lying on the roof, “I guess they could’ve, why?”

“The Richmond photo during the Larsen case? I tried going there to ask about the camera on Desolation Bridge, and was shut down by another cop, like he had been told what to say.”

“What’s your point?”

“If they knew what he was up to, maybe they knew about other things,” she said taking another hit of the smoke. “Who was he closest to?”

Holder pushed up off of the car keeping his hands on the roof and shrugged, “I mean, everyone really. Gil was a like-able guy. He headed up homicide for a bit, so maybe that division.”

Linden nodded, “Let’s head over there, ask around.”

He looked at her as though she had grown a second head, “Linden, you nuts? They’ll kill us.”

“We’re cops, they’re cops,” she said exasperated looking at him just as ridiculously.

Holder shook his head and sighed, “This is gonna suck.” He took out his cigarette and lit it, then he opened the car door and got inside.

“I never said it wouldn’t.” Linden took another hit of her smoke before stomping it out and getting behind the wheel.

——

Linden parked opposite of City Hall Park on 4th Avenue, about a block away from the King County District Courthouse where the Sheriff’s office was located. The detectives walked against the harsh chilly wind with a slight damp scent about the air indicating rain was on the way. 

They walked into the County office, eerily familiar to the pair of the detectives each for different reasons. “Man it’s forever since I been here,” Holder said looking around.

Linden sent him a side-eyed glance, “You still worked here 2-months ago.” 

He looked back at her serious, “Yo the Larsen case felt like it took 2-years!” 

They walked up to the front desk, behind where a deputy stood typing on a computer. Without looking up he addressed them, “Can I help you?”

“I’m Detective Linden, Seattle P.D.,” at her words the deputy looked up, his eyes zeroing in on her badge. “I need to speak to the captain in charge of homicide.”

The deputy, who was rather young, gawked at her with his mouth slightly open, apparently not computing her request.

“Yo codfish,” Holder pitched in, “you keep ya face like that it’s gonna freeze that way.”

The deputy picked up the phone and dialed 3-numbers, he spoke rapidly into the receiver and then hung up just as abruptly. He didn’t say anything else, he just stared at the detectives.

Losing patience, Linden clenched her jaw and slightly tilted her head, “Is he coming?”

“Yes she is,” said a voice from behind them. Holder and Linden turned to see a woman of Indigenous descent, with a fierce looking face and black hair tied behind her head in a tight bun. She looked back at Linden, “I’m Captain Platt, how can I help you?”

“I’m with with Seattle P.D. we’re—”

Platt interjected, “You’re investigating Gil’s homicide yes I’m well aware.”

Linden’s eyebrows rose, and an amused smile crossed her face albeit briefly, “How did you know?”

“Word traveled over here fairly quickly,” Platt said nodding. “Why don’t we speak in my office?”

The captain led them down a hall past the front desk to an open door on the left. It was a rather small, but also a quite sophisticated office space. A bookshelf on the left displayed various honors and commendations, a desk was straight ahead, papers sorted into trays very neat and orderly. The Seattle City flag stood in between the desk and the bookshelf, and there were three empty chairs which Platt indicated the detectives should sit in. 

“So,” Platt began to say as she sat behind her desk, “what would you like to know?”

Linden looked to her partner, but Holder was leaning back in his chair and didn’t seem keen to start speaking anytime soon. Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Linden turned back to the captain. “Before I ask or say anything, I want to put this out there: I’m a cop too, I get the whole camaraderie practice, and I understand nobody wants to talk bad about each other,” Platt nodded but didn’t verbally agree. “That said, this is a homicide investigation. And in order for me, for us, to do our job we need to ask questions you’re not going to like.”

“Yes detective, I’m aware.”

Linden gave a curt nod and dove into the deep end, “Were you aware that Gil Sloane had become corrupt and was accepting bribes from the then Mayor Adams and was manipulating and infringing upon a murder investigation?”

An uncomfortable silence followed this, Linden was staring straight into Platt’s eyes and hadn’t blinked since asking the question. The captain has a neutral expression that was rather hard to read, but Linden swore she saw just the slightest tick of a muscle in the captain’s jaw. “I will deny that I ever said this, but I did have my suspicions the last few weeks he was working.”

Linden nodded, “Is it possible anyone else knew? Any deputies, anyone who may have felt betrayed?”

Platt’s eyes narrowed, “Are you suggesting one of my people killed Gil?”

The corner of Linden’s mouth turned up, “I did warn you about questions.” She waited for Platt to respond but when the captain stayed silent she spoke again, “I’m not trying to tarnish anyone’s name or reputation.”

“Well, you have a funny way of showing it,” she snapped. “No, no one would’ve known. And if that’s all, I have to get back to work.” Platt stood up abruptly and looked down at Linden and Holder, “If I were you detective’s, I’d stay away from County. You may show yourselves out.”

Still in locked eye contact, Linden stood up slowly and gave the captain a curt nod, “Thanks for your time, we’ll be in touch.”

——

Lesley Adams was sitting in a fairly fancy restaurant, with a glass of expensive wine when his phone rang. Clearing his throat he put the phone to his ear, “Yes?”

“It’s me,” came Abani’s voice from the speaker, “the cops came to speak with me. To my house. It’s that detective again, the same one from the Larsen case.”

Adams looked bothered but quickly covered it up, “Well that’s interesting.”

“They brought up what happened during the campaign, asking about coverups.”

Adams let out a fake laugh, “Well, we’ll have to speak later then. Thank-you for keeping me informed. Goodnight!” He ended the call and reached for his glass of wine, gripping it so tight that his hand began to shake.

——

As Sarah and Holder drove back to the station it began to rain. They parked in the lot and pulled up their hoods before walking briskly into the precinct. Neither of them spoke until they got back into their office and took off their wet jackets. 

“What do you think?” Sarah asked Holder.

Surprised, Holder put a hand to his chest, “Woah you’re askin’ me?” 

Sarah shrugged putting an arm out, “Yeah Holder,” she said sounding little impatient. “You know her better then I do.”

Holder and raised a hand to his head rubbing the back of it, “Barely, she was homicide, I was U.C. for vice. But I mean... she ain’t wrong. I can’t think of anyone who’d hurt Gil. It’s like I said, the guy was liked by everyone.”

Sarah’s tongue poked on the inside of her cheek, making it look like something was trying to get out of her mouth, “You think she could’ve done it?”

Holder scoffed and shook his head, “If you’d asked me that a month ago I woulda said you were bonkers.”

“Now?”

“I mean, look at Gil and what he did right? Anythin’ is possible... apparently.”

The phone on Sarah’s desk rang, she picked it up from the cradle, “Linden here.” A short pause followed, she bent down to her computer and navigated the screen with her mouse, “Alright thanks.” 

As Sarah hung up the phone Holder jerked his chin upward, “What’s that?”

“DNA match from the bed in the apartment,” she sat down in her chair in front of her computer and lifted her other arm onto the desk, her hand going to her chin, “Belonged to a Claire Wallace, she’s been arrested a few times for possession.”

“Let me see.” Holder walked around to look at the screen leaning on Sarah’s chair, the color drained from his face, “Oh fuck me.”

Sarah looked up at him, “You know her?” Holder groaned, his head dropped as though he were a puppet and a string had been cut, “Holder?”

Holder pushed himself up to stand up straight and went to the office door shutting it, “Listen uh... you ‘member when ya thought I was in on the bridge photo thing with Gil during the Larsen case? You came and got me on the median cause I’d gone off the rails and whatnot.” Sarah nodded but didn’t speak so he continued, “That day uh, earlier I’d... I’d gone to a dealer’s house, I ain’t proud of it, but I kinda lost it and sorta assaulted him and his moms, stole some crystal.” 

He couldn’t stand to see the inevitable judgement on her face and avoided her gaze as he finished, “I went to a building where they held NA meetings, and... invited a girl to ride... with... me. She found out about the drugs, she’s the one who called you and told ya where I was. That was Claire. I had no clue she and Gil were,” he gestured to the computer, “ya know, gettin’ down and dirty.”

Sarah looked back at the computer screen, “She knew you were carrying?”

“Yeah...”

“Do you still have it?”

Holder clenched his jaw, “Yeah, I do.”

Sarah’s jaw tensed before she closed her eyes and bit her tongue while puckering her lips. She took a deep breath, still not looking at Holder, “Where is it?”

“...the car.”

Sarah’s head snapped to look at him, “What?! Tell me you’re joking. You’ve been—we’ve been?!” When he didn’t answer she stood up quickly and held out her hand, “Give me your keys, now.” Holder reached into his pocket and placed the car keys into her open palm, “Where is it?”

Holder swallowed and let out a shaky breath, “Glove compartment.”

“Stay here,” Sarah snapped before storming out of the office. 

Holder sat in his office chair when Sarah went, feeling like crap. Focusing on the case had helped him, he’d felt shitty since last night, then Linden set him straight and when they got rolling he felt focused. He was a cop after all, and he had a job to do. But this coming up? Knocked him back down a few pegs. Holder leaned back and put his arms over his head waiting for her. She came back about 7-minutes later, the door opened with a great whoosh of air. Sarah put his keys back onto his desk, then went and grabbed his jacket before she threw it at him. Holder caught the jacket, confused, “What’re you doin’?”

Sarah shut down her computer, “It’s too late to reach out to Claire tonight, we’ll call her first thing tomorrow.”

Holder pulled his jacket on slowly, then quietly asked, “What did you do with it?”

The glare Sarah sent him nearly knocked Holder off of his feet, “Doesn’t matter,” she gathered some papers and straightened them, “we’re going to have to put her interrogation on record. If she talks about that night...”

“Yeah,” Holder said. “Yeah I know.”

“Did you use?”

“What? During the Larsen case?”

“Any of it,” Sarah was looking straight at him. “Did you use any of it?”

Holder looked away for a moment, “Nah, almost did yesterday but I didn’t.”

Sarah bobbed her head, “Good, we have that going for us at least. Let’s go.”

They walked out of the building together and headed towards the lot. When Sarah followed him to the car, Holder fought off an annoyance and turned to look at her, “I don’t need no babysitter Linden.”

“I know, but I’m staying with you tonight.”

Holder blinked, “What?”

She shrugged, “My car isn’t here, my house isn’t set up yet, I slept in a sleeping bag last night, your place has a couch.”

Her partner chortled, “You invitin’ yourself over 1-900?”

Sarah rolled her eyes, “C’mon, let’s go.”

——

Lesley Adams talked rapidly and fiercely into his cell phone, “Do it! Do it now! I don’t pay you for laziness!” He ended the call, and ran a hand through his hair.

——

Cami stood in front of her locker at the locker room in the County precinct. Taped inside was a picture of her academy graduating class before she became undercover, next to it was a picture of her and Gil Sloane on the same day. She shut the locker with a rather loud thud.

——

Claire headed into an Narcotics Anonymous meeting, withdrawn and quiet, she kept to herself.

——

Sarah and Holder stepped into his apartment,

“I’m gonna use the restroom,” she said not waiting for an answer. She walked to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. Sarah stared at her reflection in the mirror above the sink for a moment, before she reached into her jacket pocket and took out a small plastic bag filled with a white powdered substance. She opened up the bag and turned it over dumping out the powder before she turned on the faucet, sending the crystal meth down the drain.


	4. Day 3

November 19, 2012   
Day 3

The smell of coffee filled the apartment, and it was that enticing aroma that woke Sarah Linden out of her slumber on Holder’s couch. Groaning slightly, she turned over on the plush cushions and sat up rubbing her eyes.

“Mornin’ sunshine,” called Holder from the kitchen. “Want some coffee?”

“God, yes.” Sarah stood up and ran her fingers through her scalp, quickly moving the elastic off of her wrist to tie around her hair. When she had successfully pulled her hair into a ponytail she walked towards the kitchen and gratefully accepted the mug Holder offered her. Sarah took a few sips and then looked up at him, “We should go straight to Claire’s, probably in 45-minutes, less if possible.”

“Yo, Linden chill,” huffed Holder with a smile. “You just got up. Gotta eat somethin’ girl, we’re not doing that ‘not hungry’ b.s. neither. Your son’ll have my head.”

Sarah’s eyebrows in genuine surprise, “You talked to Jack?”

Holder’s mouth puckered and he sucked in his cheeks giving him the appearance of an fish, “Uh, no?” At the look on her face he relented, “Alright so yeah, little man has texted a bit, it ain’t no big thing or nothin’.” Sarah sighed but didn’t say anything further on the matter. She finished her coffee and put the mug in the sink. “Sure you don’t wanna go home first?” Holder asked gesturing to her clothes, “Wearin’ the same thing as yesterday people gonna start talkin’ ‘bout us.”

“They wouldn’t dare.” 

Sarah headed into the bathroom and Holder chuckled, “No they would not.”

——  
Linden drove them to Claire’s apartment in Georgetown, inside a stand-alone white brick building just below the Industrial District. The architecture was ancient, it happened to be one of Seattle’s oldest standing buildings, the white brick was peeling from several hundred paint jobs done over the years, and was crumbling in places.

Linden knocked on the door and she answered almost at once.

“Yeah?” Claire looked up and saw Holder, her face went white. “Stephen?”

“I’m Detective Linden,” Linden spoke clearly to make the woman aware of the situation. “This is my partner,” she paused briefly because she did just realize anonymity was about to fly out the window. “Detective Holder.”

“Holder...” Claire repeated still looking at him.

Linden cleared her throat, “Would you mind if we came in? Asked you a few questions?”

Claire blinked a few times and looked away fidgety, “I mean I guess, but what’s this about?”

Linden gave her slight smile, “We can explain inside.”

Claire stepped back allowing them to step inside. The apartment was small, and very old just like the exterior. They walked right into a living room/dining area with a kitchen around the corner to the right, a bedroom was off the the left. The curtains were drawn and gave the apartment a dingy appearance when in reality it was kept fairly neat.

The detectives stood in the middle of the living room, waiting for Claire to join them. The woman in question had crossed her arms and after closing the door walked to them, “So... what’s goin’ on?”

“We’re investigating the murder of Gil Sloane, we found your DNA in his apartment.” if Claire had gone white before, her face had just turned transparent.

Claire’s mouth opened but no words came out, her jaw moved around a little before she finally spoke, “I know a Gil, but uh, I don’t know his last name.”

“Claire,” Holder said softly. “It’s Gil.”

“Fuck...” Claire collapsed onto a ratty looking couch and gestured with her arms, “yeah, yeah I was... with him.”

“You were in a relationship?” asked Linden.

“What- no!” Claire shook her head. “No not like that jus’...” she shrugged and put her thumb to her mouth biting on the nail, her legs shaking.

“When was the last time you saw him?” 

“Uh I don’t know uh, maybe... I don’t know.” 

She was being just a tad bit too sporadic. 

“Claire...” Holder spoke again, but at regular volume with a sense of authority, “did you use?”

“What? No!” Claire stood and backed away from the detectives, she raised a finger and pointed at Holder, “Fuck you Stephen, if I knew you were police I’d never have taken your dick neither.”

Linden’s eyebrows rose in amusement, blessedly she didn’t look at Holder for confirmation, “Mrs. Wallace—”

“It’s Miss,” Claire cut in swinging arm by her side. “Husband’s gone, why else would I be sleeping around?”

“Miss Wallace,” Linden spoke calmly. “I’m not with narcotics. I’m not here to bust you for any drug use past or present. I’m here to solve a murder.”

Claire scoffed and shook her head, after a few moments she raised her arms to the side, “What do you want?”

“I need you to think, when was the last time you saw Gil?”

Claire sucked on her teeth and swayed from side to side, “3, 4 days ago maybe.”

“What were you doing?”

The woman scoffed and scuffed her foot into her carpet, “Went to a meeting, met his new sponsee, then went back to his place and banged.”

“Gil got a new sponsee?” asked Holder.

Claire glared at him, “Yeah, he did.”

“What’s his name?”

“I ain’t telling you,” she snapped. “You should know better then to ask.”

“Someone murdered Gil,” Holder said sharply taking a step forward. “Killed him Claire. Shot him dead. We need to find who did it, that means following all leads.”

Claire scowled at him, “Name’s Mateo, that’s all I know. You should know where to find him Stephen.” 

“Where were you November 17th between the hours of 4 and 6 a.m.?” asked Linden.

“Sleepin’, what else would I be doin’?”

“Can anyone verify your whereabouts?”

Claire scowled, “No.”

“Do you own a gun or a pocket knife?”

“Hell no, I don’t!”

“Would you permit to search your residence?”

“Fuck no!”

Linden let out a small sigh and gave a curt nod , she reached into her jacket pocket holding out a card, “If you think of anything else, please give us a call.”

Claire snatched the card out of her hand, and sneered, “Will do.”

Linden turned to leave but noticed Holder hadn’t moved, “Holder.”

“You go Linden, I’m right behind you.” Holder said still looking at Claire.

“Holder...” There was a warning tone in her voice but he waved her off,

“Go Linden.”

Hesitantly, Linden walked out of the apartment leaving Claire and Holder alone. Claire’s arms were crossed, and her leg was bouncing again. Holder shook his head, “I didn’t know about you and Gil.”

“Why’d you think I asked you if you’d seen him,” she said. “Ya know the day we—”

“Yeah I gotcha,” Holder cut her off.

Claire smirked and nodded towards the door, “Your partner know you’re a tweaker?” Holder nodded and she scoffed.

“You called her that night,” said Holder softly. “You told her where I was.”

“Shit, that was her?” Claire laughed.

Holder smiled slightly, “Yeah, that was her.” The smile dropped from his face and he looked at her with concern.

Before he could speak she shook her head, “Don’t get started with me Stephen, just don’t,” her voice trembled as she said this and she kept shaking her head. “Fucking Gil man.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I know. I gotta go, but uh, call me if you need anythin’?”

Claire shook her head, “I don’t think so, not anymore.” 

Holder let these words sink in. He nodded solemnly and showed himself out.

——

Benjamin Abani sat next to the Black Sun sculpture in Volunteer Park, watching the tourists go in and out of the Seattle Asian Art Museum right across from him. A familiar looking car pulled into the museum’s parking lot, Abani sat up straight and pushed himself to his feet as Lesley Adams walked towards him. Abani hadn’t been hard to miss, being right next to a black 9-foot circular sculpture.

“I’ll make this brief,” Adams said placing a hand on Abani’s shoulder to give the impression of two friends walking along the park’s man-made reservoir past the sculpture. “Though that travesty of a campaign is over, the payment you received should carry over into the post-election period... that being right now.” Adams stopped walking and squeezed Abani’s shoulder sharply, looking straight into the man’s eyes, “We wouldn’t want anything to get out now would we? Who knows what could happen?”

Abani’s face was tense, and nowhere near as accepting as it had been during the mayoral campaign, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were threatening me sir.” He spat out the last word as though it were dirty and disgusting.

Adams’ sneer was discomforting, “I would never do such a thing. I’m only looking out for your well being.” He took his hand off of Abani’s shoulder and placed it into his jacket pocket, “Only sharing pertinent information, just thought you’d want to know.” 

Adams looked out past the reservoir onto Elliot Bay, the Space Needle which was just visible through the clouds moving in, “It looks like rain, you should get home.” Without another word, Adams turned and walked back to his car leaving Abani alone staring after him.

——

Holder sat behind his desk, squeezing the little black basketball he kept in the bottom drawer, his gaze distant. Sarah was writing on the whiteboard underneath a mugshot photo of Claire Wallace, adding bullet points: 

saw G. Sloane 3,4 days ago; day of murder???  
Went to meeting, then apartment, slept with victim  
No alibi

Beside this, Sarah drew an empty square the same size of the mugshot, and labeled it, “New Sponsee, Mateo ???” 

Sarah capped the marker and took a few steps back leaning against the edge of her desk, her eyes fixed on the board. “We’ve got really far spectrums...” she mused.

“Come again?” Holder looked over at her an eyebrow raised.

Tapping the marker on her desk, Saran indicated the board with her chin, “The conspiracy motive, Abani and Adams, then the...” she waved her hand in a circle trying to think of the right phrase to use. “Lover? Addict, motive?”

The board was currently split into three columns; Claire’s photo and the new sponsee space was on the right, Abani’s and Adams’ photos and motivations were in the middle, and on the far left at the top was written “COUNTY - BETRAYAL???”. 

“We should’ve gotten a second, or third board,” said Sarah. “To keep things separate.”

“Don’t be gettin’ all obsessive now,” Holder said putting the basketball down and standing up from his chair. “Imma have to start callin’ you Monk.”

Sarah sighed and rubbed the corner of her eye, and put the marker down, “We didn’t really get a whole lot from the captain at County.” She indicated the far left column which had the least amount of information.

“Yeah well, that’s not surprise,” Holder crossed his arms. “The way we came bustin’ up in there I’m honestly surprised they didn’t kick our asses out the minute we walked in.”

Sarah turned to him with a thoughtful expression, “You still have contacts though, don’t you? Over at County? We met that one U.C., and you got in touch with someone who told you the Larsen files were missing.”

Holder blew out a breath and shook his head, “Gimme a minute, I’ll make a call,” he stepped out of the office leaving Sarah alone.

Sarah looked back at the board thinking, her brain going a mile a minute. If Holder could get in touch with someone from County, they could try to meet up with them today. Then maybe, they could try to find Gil’s new sponsee, that or they could track down Lesley Adams. None of their leads had been definitive thus far, and every action they took felt like they were grasping at straws. 

There was a knock at the door, Sarah looked up to see a uniform holding a plastic bag, “What’s that?”

“From the coroner ma’am, he made a cast mold? Of the knife used on your victim.”

“Why didn’t he call me?”

The uniform blushed, “He said something about not wanting to see your partner.”

Sarah sighed, she stepped forward and took the bag, “Thanks.”

The officer left. Sarah looked at the cast: the blade was shorter then she expected it to be, it had a pointy tip and a smooth blade until it widened out at which point the it was serrated. The top of the blade curled up slightly, whereas the bottom swooped down before going flat. The door opened again and Holder came inside.

“What’s that?” asked Holder indicating the cast.

“Mold of the knife used to dig the bullets out of Gil.”

Holder paled, then gave a slight shake of his head. “Looks like rain,” Holder said, “grab your your jacket and let’s go.”

Sarah put down the cast and got her jacket, “Where are we going?”

“Pioneer Square.”

——

Claire was hitting her smoke hard as she walked up to the center, her shoulders shrugged into her body as she tried to fight against the cold. A light drizzle began to fall and she cursed as she threw the cigarette on the ground stomping it out. She sniffed and put her hands into her jacket pockets, before she continued to walked to the building. A hand fell on her shoulder, and instinctively she shrugged it off, “The hell?”

“Hey,” a younger Hispanic man with sharp eyebrows and small black eyes had stopped her just outside of the center. “It’s me Claire.”

Some of the tension left Claire’s body, “Oh yeah, sorry Mateo.”

“You good?” 

She nodded and rubbed her nose, “I’m fine. What’s up?”

Mateo looked around for a moment, “Ya seen Gil? We was supposed to meet and he ain’t never late.”

Claire looked uncomfortable, she met his eyes briefly but quickly looked away.


	5. Day 3 (continued)

The rain had started to come down hard as Linden drove to Pioneer Square. She turned onto Jefferson Street sand pulled into an alley next to a bail bonds business, then put the car into park and turned off the engine before reaching for a cigarette and her lighter.

“Can I bum one?” asked Holder the moment he saw her grab the smoke.

Linden gave a slight shrug and offered him one, cupping her hand as he leaned forward so that she could light it for him. After she lit her own smoke she sat back in the car seat and took a nice hit enjoying the nicotine rush, “What time did she say she’d be here?”

Holder looked at his phone, “‘Bout five minutes, gotta give it time Linden, U.C. work... gotta be careful you don’t blow it.”

“I can imagine,” Sarah said before taking another draft and blowing it out. She opened the window a crack as the car began to steadily fill with smoke, “You miss it?”

“What? Doin’ U.C.?” Holder shrugged, “I mean... nah I don’t think so. It’s what I was good at ya know? I knew how to do it and all but, I think I just outgrown it. I wanted to do better ya feel me?”

The corner of Linden’s mouth turned up slightly, “Still looking for that bad guy, huh?”

Holder scoffed and shook his head, “Nah, you were right, you told me that first day. There ain’t no bad guy.”

Linden turned her head to look at him, “You actually listened to me?”

“Yeah, yeah don’t get used to it or nothin’,” Holder was smiling now. “Sometimes you got good ideas.”

Linden turned back to the front and raised her eyebrows, “Only sometimes.”

They sat and smoked for a few more minutes, before a hooded figure came around the corner, holding their jacket tightly against their body fighting the rain. When they came up to the car they leaned down to peer into the partially cracked window on the driver’s side, Linden gave a small nod in greeting and the figure went to the back and opened up the door before climbing inside.

Cami lowered her hood, sending raindrops flying across the back seat, she kept her arms hugged to herself and her teeth chattered as she sat back, “Aight guapo, I’m here. What’s it about.”

No time for pleasantries then. Linden kept an eye outside, occasionally shooting a glance up at the rear view mirror. Holder turned around and looked straight at his old partner, “Thanks for comin’, who told you about Gil?”

The U.C. huffed, “Garrity. Asshole took me off my beat, ‘cuffed me and put me in the back of his squad car.”

“The fuck?” Holder looked over to Linden, who clearly didn’t get why this was a big deal based on the look on her face, so he explained quickly, “He coulda waited ‘til she clocked out, instead he took her off the streets in broad daylight.”

“Yeah,” Cami shook her head. “He wanted to know why I didn’t check in the night before. Didn’t exactly say it to my face but the prick thought I mighta had somethin’ to do with what happened to Gil.”

“Did you?” asked Linden looking at Cami in the rear view mirror.

“Linden!” Holder hissed at his partner.

Linden ignored him and addressed Cami, “Did you have something to do with what happened to Gil?”

Cami shook her head showing no animosity towards the detective, “Nah, no I didn’t. I didn’t even know ‘bout it ‘til Garrity picked me up.”

Holder nodded slowly, “Anyone at County talkin’ about what mighta happened?”

“Speculation over there is nuts,” scoffed Cami. “I mean for real. But it ain’t nothin’ definitive ya know? They just all out for blood, for real.” 

Linden sighed and nodded. Holder bobbed his head, “Alright, well, thanks anyways ya know? Appreciate it, you uh, you holdin’ up alright?”

Cami shrugged and puckered her lips, “Fine, I gotta go,” she reached for the door. “I’ll call if I hear anythin’.” 

Without another word Cami disappeared into the rain.

——

A group of deputies clocking out for the day changed in the locker room at County, deputy Garrity among them.

“Anyone hear anything about Gil?” Someone asked.

“Nada,” Garrity snapped. “Fuckin’ city doesn’t wanna share anything.”

“You been listening to their channels again?” asked McVeigh, a younger deputy.

Garrity shrugged as pulled on his civilian t-shirt, “On and off, I haven’t heard anything from that Detective Linden, she must keep it close to the chest.”

“She’s a woman, it’s impossible for her to keep things close to the chest if ya know what I’m saying.”

The men guffawed with laughter, Garrity closed his locker and picked up his duffel bag, “I’ll see you losers tomorrow.” With that he he made his way out of the locker room.

——

Sarah was been driving back to the precinct when she glanced over at Holder and asked, “What about NA?”

Confused, Holder’s eyebrows scrunched as he turned his head to look at her, “What about it?”

Thinking carefully before she spoke, Sarah gave a small shrug, “Junkies... they can be violent, you worked vice so you know that. Something may have happened between Gil and his new sponsee. So maybe we can find Mateo, by... going to the NA meeting you guys go to.”

Holder sighed shaking his head, “You only know where that meeting is ‘cause you followed me, thought I was corrupt.”

“Well that’s the point,” she explained. “You didn’t tell me where it was, it’s not like you invited me to go with you. So it’s not on you.”

“This is morally ambiguous as fuck,” Holder shook his head again. “If theres an NA hell I’m prob’ly goin’ there.”

“Fine,” Sarah rolled her eyes annoyed. “I can go by myself, I’ll drop you at the precinct.”

“Nah, I’m comin’.”

Sarah nodded and turned the wheel changing the course of the car. They drove in silence for a moment when Holder spoke, “I met him at my second meeting’ eva ya know,” he said softly. “Gil I mean.”

“Oh, yeah?” Sarah kept her eyes glued to the road.

Holder huffed in amusement, “Yeah. I had ten days of sobriety, and he shared his story during the meetin’. I could tell, just by how he talked... I knew he was a cop like me.” Holder shook his head fondly, a faint smile spread on his lips, “I went up to him afterwards, and asked him to be my sponsor. The guy took one look at me, and said no.”

She couldn’t help herself and turned her head, “What?” 

Chuckling, he nodded, “Yup, ole Gil said no. I was embarrassed as hell, basically ran outta there with my tail between my legs. Next day I went back to that same meeting, saw him again. I couldn’t look the man in the eye. But after the meetin’ was over, I saw him comin’ over to me and I tried to book the hell outta there but he stepped in my path and said, “ask me again son”. So I did, and he said yes. Later, like a few weeks later, I asked him why he said no that first day. He told me it was ‘cause he needed to see I had the will to persevere.” 

Holder sighed and gazed out the window, “Gil got me workin’ the steps right away, poundin’ ‘em into my head. Turned out he already knew I was a cop too, he’d seen me me around, so he told me he’d help me manage the paycheck—cause he knew if I got too much, I could spend it on the crystal, and he wasn’t wrong. We met almost everyday after work, goin’ to meetings, workin’ the steps, talkin’, sometimes just hangin’ out... 

“When Gil retired I thought maybe he’d drop me but he didn’t. He kept comin’ back for me Linden. The only other person who’d ever done that for me was my sista Liz. Gil knew how bad I wanted homicide, when he heard ‘bout the position at S.P.D. he encouraged me to apply, and it turns out I wouldn’ta gotten the job without him...” the smile had fallen from Holder’s face, replaced by a grave expression.

“When I found out that Oakes had lied about the Larsen evidence, I went to Gil ‘cause I didn't trust no one else. I told him about the backpack and... it was like he was a whole other person. I said we had to talk to I.A. ‘cause Oakes had lied, but he said I need to “shut the hell up” and damn, I’ll never forget that. He said that I didn’t get the homicide job ‘cause I was a good cop, he said I got it ‘cause I was dirty, and ev’ryone knew it. Called me a crankhead, low-life tweaker... said no one’d believe me, and I only had a paycheck ‘cause of him.” Holder looked right at Linden, “I called him out about the photo, said he was the one who gave it to me,” he scoffed and shook his head. “Gil said I took it knowin’ I was takin’ a shortcut and didn’t care ‘cause I wanted the badge more then the integrity. Then he said the photo from the bridge was requisitioned with your badge number—I mean the guy basically threatened your job too. Then he kicked me outta his car. I’m tellin’ ya, it was like he was a whole different guy. That was last time... we talked.

“I trusted Gil with everything, everything. 6-months with the guy...” Holder voice died out.

Sarah blinked slowly and took a small breath, “I’m sorry Holder.”

Holder shrugged, “Ain’t your fault, not even sure why I jus’ told ya all that. Shit was a lot, but uh... thanks for listenin’.”

The rest of the drive was spent in silence. Sarah pulled up to the curb across the street from the small brick building and killed the engine of the car. Their timing was perfect, the meeting had just let out and people were spilling out of the building’s open doors, opening up umbrellas and pulling up their hoods. Sarah undid her seat belt and scooted forward to try to see more clearly in the rain. When that didn’t work, she pulled up her hood and opened the door climbing out of the car.

“Linden!” Holder tried to call after her but Sarah had already shut the car door effectively cutting off his shout, so Holder pulled up his own hood and climbed out of the car as well. He walked around to the hood of the car to stand next to Sarah. 

The sound of the rain pounding the pavement as well as their jackets impeded their hearing slightly, but Holder could just make out what Sarah said, “Isn’t that Claire? Who’s she with?”

Holder squinted and saw two figures walking side by side to a maroon colored car that he recognized as Claire’s. “Yeah, that’s her. Don’t know the guy she’s with though.”

The man didn’t get into Claire’s car, he waved goodbye as she drove away then he continued to walk down the sidewalk. On a hunch, Sarah took a few steps forward, the man must have heard her shoes against the pavement and puddles because he looked up as she stepped closer. The man took one look at Sarah, then he turned around and bolted.

Detective Linden didn’t hesitate, the balls of her feet pushed off of the slick ground and she ran after him taking her gun out of the holster on her belt. The man took a sharp turn after the brick building where the meeting had been held, Sarah went after him and made the same sharp turn, skidding and nearly falling down, but she recovered and turned down the alley just in time to see him turn right onto the side walk at the end. 

Sarah ran down to the end of the alley and reached out with her hand to use the building, whipping herself around the corner to prevent sliding against the pavement again. She was gaining on him, her years of running had given her the capacity to be highly effective in this sort of situation. The man made another right turn, and when Sarah got to the building she used her hand once more to whip herself around the corner, only to find herself face to face with a four-by-four as it swung into her chest and knocked her off of her feet.

Sarah fell onto her back, just barely avoiding hitting her head onto the pavement and using her elbows and arms to catch herself. The wind had been knocked out of her, and she dropped her gun sending it skidding across the ground. Holder turned the corner into the alley and stopped when he saw Sarah on the pavement, but she waved him off, “I’m good, go!” That was all Holder needed to hear, and he took off. Sarah pushed herself to her feet and retrieved her gun before she ran down the alleyway. She saw Holder had crossed the street and had gone to the end of the sidewalk turning around another corner. On a hunch, Sarah ran across the street to the opposite side of the sidewalk and went around a building that took her to the other end. 

Her hunch served her well. As Sarah emerged around the opposite corner she found the suspect was running at her, too fast to bring himself to a stop. Nevertheless, Sarah still ran at him and threw out an arm catching him in the chest and sending him to the ground, as soon as he hit the pavement Sarah holstered her weapon and kneeled down placing a flat hand on his back, “Stay down!” 

Holder caught up to them just as Sarah had finished handcuffing the man, panting hard he kept his gun trained on the suspect, before his eyes darted to his partner, “You good Linden?”

Sarah gave a curt nod as she stood up and pulled the man to his feet, “I’m good. Take a look at this,” she held up a pocket knife she had taken out of the suspect’s pocket.

——

Linden stood in the precinct bathroom looking at her reflection in the mirror above the sink. She peeled off her sweater, which was mainly sticking to her skin because of the rain, but her right elbow had also been scraped up pretty bad from when she had fallen in the alleyway and the blood had become tacky. Sarah turned on the faucet and grabbed a paper towel, letting the water soak it before putting it on the scrape which was was the length of half of her elbow to her wrist. 

She had to throw out the sweater because of the hole in the sleeve from where she had fallen down, so Sarah chucked it in the trash. She left the bathroom in her gray t-shirt, quickly walking into their office and going to the first aid kit she kept in her desk. Grabbing a bandage, she covered the long abrasion on her arm then pulled on her jacket, which also had a hole in the sleeve, but at least the bloodstain wasn’t visible. And she wasn’t going to walk around the precinct in a t-shirt.

Linden walked down the hall to interrogation, and joined Holder who sat inside at the table with the suspect, newly identified as Mateo Cruz. Holder looked up when the door opened, his face scrunched in confusion at her outfit. Before he could comment, Linden looked away from him and instead focused on Mateo, whose hands were cuffed in front of him. She crossed her arms wincing slightly as the wound on her arm pulled with the motion, and she leaned against the one-way mirror, “Why’d you run Mateo?”

The man in question shrugged, but he didn’t give a verbal response.

“Ya gonna have to do better than that son,” said Holder trying to meet the other man’s eyes. “I ain’t feelin’ too gracious after you decided to try to hit a home run with Linden here. You and I both know I don’t mean the nice kind with peanuts and crackerjacks neither. You assaulted a cop bro! You’re in some serious shit now.”

Mateo rocked back and forth in his chair, still not saying anything. 

Linden sighed, “Don’t make this any harder on yourself, talk to us.” When this yielded no results, she threw caution to the wind, “Was Gil Sloane your sponsor?”

Mateo’s head shot up and he looked at her, the man slowly nodded, “I heard what happened,” he said softly. “Can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Why’d you run Mateo?” she pressed again.

Mateo shrugged once more, but this time he spoke, “I dunno, got freaked out I guess. Not the first time the police been afta me aight?”

“No dawg,” Holder said as he jammed a finger into the table. “Not “aight”, I say again you assaulted, a cop. Treated my partner here like a piñata on Cinco de Mayo.”

“I got freaked out man, I’d found out my sponsor got iced then I got cops chasin’ after me.”

“When was the last time you saw Gil?” Linden asked.

“4-days ago? We met up for lunch and went to a meeting, that was it. I was s’posed to see him the next day but he never showed, and he didn’t answer none of my calls.”

“Where were you November 17th between 4 and 6 a.m.?”

“I was home, sleepin’.”

“Anyone who can verify that?” Holder chimed in.

Mateo shook his head, “Nah man, don’t got no one.”

“You have a gun?”

“Not since I went straight.”

The detectives exchanged looks, then Linden looked back at Mateo and nodded, “We’ll have an officer come by and book you. Hang tight.” She pushed off of the wall and headed out of the room.

——

Cami stood with a group of teenagers on the corner of a busy street with cars driving by, some honking their horns and trying to get the teens attention. The group ignored the cars, only interested in trying to score some pot. 

The U.C. broke away from the group and headed around the corner waiting until she was out of sight before she pulled out her cellphone and sent a text message to someone.

——

Mateo sat in a jail cell, and his hands began to shake. He clutched then together, squeezing them hard, trying to control himself. He began to cry.

——

Holder played the message of a missed phone call, he had felt the phone buzzing in his pocket when they had been interrogating Mateo, “Hey it’s Liz, I was hoping you could come over for lunch tomorrow? Davey and Kayla wanna see you, and well, so do I. Lemme know, ‘kay? Love ya Stephen.”  
——

A sergeant went to the front desk at S.P.D. and pointed at a box that was set aside, “What’s this?” 

The uniform working the desk looked over, “Someone dropped it off a few hours ago, didn’t see who though.”

“But what is it?” 

The uni shrugged, “I haven’t looked inside.”

The sergeant opened the box, his eyes widened and he reached for his radio, “I need CSU to the front of the precinct now!”

Inside of the box in a sealed plastic bag, were two bloody bullets.


	6. Day 3 continued and Day 4

Holder sat behind the wheel of the car as he drove himself and Sarah back to the Fauntleroy terminal to take the Issaquah over to Vashon. Neither of them were very talkative, the cold had seeped into both of them, as deep as their bones, from when they had engaged Mateo in a chase just hours ago.

Sarah’s cell phone buzzed in her pocket, her hand reached down and retrieved the device from her pocket flipping the phone open and putting it to her ear, “Linden here.”

When she didn’t speak for quite some time, Holder looked over at her and saw the grave expression on her face as she listened to whoever was on the other line, “What? What is it?”

Sarah shook her head and held up a hand, frustrating Holder. Finally, she spoke, “Alright, let me know when you get the results,” and she closed the phone. Sighing she glanced over at Holder, “Two bullets showed up at the precinct, delivered sometime earlier today, they’re going over surveillance now to try to figure out who brought them. They were covered in blood.”

“Damn...” Holder sighed. They pulled ahead in the line to board the Issaquah, and slowly Holder brought the car to a stand still as the ferry crew member raised a hand to bring him to a halt. Holder put the car into park, and turned off the engine.

They smoked as the Issaquah pulled away from the port, then once they had been out in the water for a few minutes Holder turned to his partner, “Hey, I got a call from my sister Liz, she wants to see me tomorrow. The timing sucks though, I was gonna ask but—”

“You should go,” Sarah cut him off.

Startled, Holder‘a eyebrows raised to his hairline, “For real?”

“Yeah, it’s only one day, I’ll give you a call if something comes up.”

He huffed in amusement, “Alright, cool thanks. I’ll let her know.”

45-minutes later, the Issaquah pulled into the Vashon port, and the detectives disembarked driving off. It didn’t take too long to pull up to Sarah’s house, she looked at the clock and winced when she saw it read 11:46 p.m.“I don’t know know if you’ll make the last ferry. Might be cutting it too close.”

Holder chuckled and shook his head, “Yo we gotta stop this. Wearin’ the same clothes I mean, I’ll show up tomorrow wearin’ this and they're gonna think I corrupted you or somethin’.”

Sarah sent him an appraising look, “Corrupted me? You really think so?”

Cheeks turning pink Holder shrugged, “It could happen.”

“What makes you think it wouldn’t be the other way around?”

Holder’s jaw dropped, the smirk on Sarah’s face made him lose his composure and he started to laugh, “Oh snap! Linden’s makin’ dirty jokes!”

Shaking her head with a sly smirk, Sarah got out of the car, “C’mon Holder, you can use Jack’s sleeping bag.”

November 20, 2012  
Day 4

Sarah woke up the next morning in her new bedroom, on the floor. The sleeping bag offered some thermal warmth but she knew the moment she climbed out the cold air would hit her like, well, like how Mateo had hit her yesterday with the four-by-four. Still, not one to delay productivity because of discomfort, Sarah pushed the sleeping bag down and off of herself to climb out.

Grateful to have showered last night so she didn’t have to do that this morning, Sarah went straight to a box she had brought upstairs last night with a selection of clothes. Changing out of the sweatpants and shirt she had slept in, Sarah changed her undergarments, pulled on a pair of thick socks, jeans and belt, a white t-shirt, and finally a thick black sweater with white threads. 

Sarah pulled her hair out of the neck of the sweater so that it laid flat against her back, she gathered it in a bunch and tied it into a ponytail with the elastic she had taken out from her hair yesterday and fallen asleep with around her wrist. Slipping on her boots she kept by the door, she hooked on her holster and badge to her belt before heading downstairs.

The house seemed empty despite the numerous boxes laying around downstairs, the walls were bare and the only things that took up space (other then the boxes) were items that had been left by the previous owners. A quick glance into the living room told her Holder was still asleep, checking the time Sarah saw it was 6:20 a.m., and decided to give him just a while longer before they headed out.

She grabbed a box cutter that she had left out on the table the previous owners had left behind, and went to a cardboard box labeled ‘KITCHEN’ and began cutting through the tape, she was rewarded with her coffee pot and coffee grounds. She plugged the machine in and filled it with some water before dumping the grounds into it, soon after the machine started to grumble as it began to make the coffee. Sarah went through her second kitchen box and found her mugs, taking two out she put them on the counter before leaning against it and waiting for the coffee to be done.

By the time Sarah was pouring her second mug of coffee, Holder walked into the kitchen with his hair sticking up in all sorts of ridiculous ways and wearing a t-shirt and his jeans from yesterday, “‘Sup Linden,” he said with a yawn.

“Coffee?” Sarah offered him a mug.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Holder took the mug and drank before his face made a disgusting expression. “Black?”

Sarah shrugged, “I don’t have anything to make it with.”

Holder nodded, “Appreciate it anyways.”

Amused, Sarah’s eyebrows raised as she nodded. They stood and drank their coffee for a while until Holder spoke again, “I think imma head out, go to my place and change. I’ll meet ya at the station.”

“Alright,” said Sarah. “See ya there.”

Holder put down his mug and headed into the living room, he was only gone for a moment before he came back wearing his hoodie and pulling on his jacket, “Thanks Linden, for ya know...” he gestured to the house.

“You got it,” Sarah said with nod. 

Holder sent her a salute and went to the front door, “See ya in a few.”

Sarah stood there, waiting for the inevitable. Holder came back inside, glowering.

“My ride ain’t here, it’s at my place.”

“I know,” Sarah couldn’t stop the small smile creeping into her face.

“‘Cause you drove yesterday,” Holder said grumpily.

Sarah’s face scrunched up and she nodded, “Yep.” 

A moment of silence passed between them, “You really gonna make me ask? It’s too early for this shit Linden.”

She put her mug down and went into the hallway where she had hung her jacket on the staircase, “C’mon Holder.”

——

Lieutenant Alonzo Sanchez was reading a report when his desk phone rang, he picked up the receiver from the cradle, “Sanchez.”

“Someone dropped off bullets at S.P.D., two of ‘em, covered in blood. Rumor is, they... they were used on Gil. Taken out of him. Waitin’ on confirmation though, I’ll be touch.”

The dial tone sounded, Sanchez looked at the phone as though it were a foreign object, then he slowly placed it back onto the phone cradle on his desk. He placed his elbow on the desk for support as he brought a fist up to his mouth, thinking.

——

After Sarah had dropped Holder off at his apartment she had gone straight to the station, knowing he wouldn’t be too far behind. She made her way into the precinct, fully intent on going straight to the office, but as she walked by the front desk a thought popped into her head and she stopped by. Backtracking, Sarah went to the uniform who was currently running the front desk.

“Excuse me,” Sarah said to get the officer’s attention.

The man was older than her, by more than just a few years, he turned around clearly exasperated at being bothered. “Yes... Detective?” He had paused to determine her rank, one look at Linden though, and he knew who she was.

“Were you working here yesterday, when the bullets came?”

The man sighed, “Yeah, I was. Look, I’ve already been chewed out by my L.T., I’m not in the mood to be yelled at by some lady cop, got it?”

Sarah’s eyebrows slowly rose amusedly, “That right? Maybe you should have thought about that before disregarding an unknown package delivered to the front desk of a police station. Lucky for you though, I’m not here for that,” the officer scowled at Sarah, but she didn’t even flinch. “Do you know if they’ve identified who dropped off the package?”

“No,” the cop growled. “Last I heard surveillance couldn’t find shit. Guy was wearing a hood, hidden from the cameras.”

A twinge of disappointment and frustration burned in Sarah’s gut, “Alright, thanks. Maybe make sure you do your job today.”

Without another word she turned and proceeded down the hall to the office.  
——

Holder pulled his car into the parking lot of the precinct downtown, showered, wearing fresh clothes and feeling like a whole new person...except not really. He stepped outside of the car, and stomped out the smoke he had been nursing as he drove, then just as he turned to head inside the building, he heard someone call his name,

“Holder! Hey, Holder!”

Holder turned and saw Garrity standing on the edge of the parking lot, beckoning him over.

“The fuck...?” Holder muttered to himself, but at Garrity’s apparent insistence, Holder sighed and jogged over to the County deputy.

“Over here,” Garrity said walking just around the corner of the building so they couldn’t be seen.

“The hell do you want Garrity?” asked Holder.

“I heard they found some bullets,” said Garrity with an anxious air about him. “Is it true? They were the bullets from Gil?”

Stunned and somewhat horrified, Holder took a step back, “How the fuck do you know about that?”

“So it is true!” Garrity cried triumphantly. “Whose gun did it come from? C’mon Holder, gimme a name, just a name.”

“You need to back the fuck off,” Holder said in a dangerous tone. “For real Bryson, this ain’t yo case. And I ain’t no snitch neither.”

Holder turned to leave but had only taken one step when Garrity spoke from behind him, “Did you even care about him at all? Or was it just ‘cause you wanted the homicide gig? Cozyin’ up to the boss man so you could get what you wanted? Just like all the junkies do.”

Before Holder knew what he was doing, he had a firm hold of Garrity’s uniform, and nearly lifted the deputy up off of the ground, the balls of the man’s feet barely scraped the pavement. Holder pulled him close so that they were face to face, “Don't you dare assume you know anythin’ ‘bout me Garrity,” Holder growled viciously, a ferocious expression on his face. “Get your sorry ass outta here before I report it or better yet beat it so bad you won’t able to walk away.” 

Holder threw Garrity away from him causing the deputy to stumble and nearly fall down. Looking just as mutinous as Holder, the deputy raised a shaking finger and pointed it at the detective, “Fuck you Holder. You never gave a shit about Gil.”


	7. Day 4 (continued)

Not one to take the word of another cop that had been deemed incompetent, Sarah had gotten hold of the surveillance footage from one of the station’s techs named Ray, whom she had always been on good terms with. She was reviewing the surveillance video of the front desk, Ray had come by and set it up on her computer so she could review it, and she had been watching it over and over. It was close to 11 a.m. at this point, somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered that Holder hadn’t come in yet and she was curious as to where he could be. Just as the video cycle ended for the umpteenth time, the office door opened and Holder stepped inside.

“About time,” said Sarah. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Don’t matter,” Holder said his voice gravelly.

Sarah looked up to see the troubled expression on his face, she looked back down the computer and rewound the surveillance video to the beginning again, “What time are you going to see Liz?”

“Like, 3 or somethin’ I think?” Holder shrugged. “What you watchin’?”

Sighing Sarah leaned in to closely watch the video again, “Surveillance from the front desk, our mystery person dropped off the bullets in a small cardboard box yesterday afternoon.”

“They didn’t bother to look inside until last night?!” Holder said incredulously.

Sarah huffed, “Yep, brilliant police work.”

Holder sucked his teeth and sat down in his chair behind his desk, “County wants answers, think there might be an uprising if we don’t give it to ‘em.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“Garrity was outside, he knew about the bullets.”

“What?!” Sarah’s head shot up, “How?”

Holder threw up his arms, “Hell if I know how,”

Sarah shook her head as she let out a frustrated sigh, “It gets complicated when it’s a cop.” At the confused look on Holder’s face, she elaborated, “They want to know why, they want revenge... they’re out for blood, because,” she shrugged. “One of their own was killed.”

“You work a cop murder before?”

“No but, when you were left for dead on the reservation, people were pissed and understandably so.” Sarah pointed out raising a hand, “But they were also out for blood.”

“I’d barely been with the department,” Holder remarked his face showing his confusion.

Sarah shrugged and stood up, “Doesn’t matter, you were one of them—us, and the Indians went after you.”

After a beat of silence Holder said, “Should I be flattered?”

Sarah huffed a laugh but didn’t answer the question, “Neither Abani, Claire, or Mateo have an alibi,” she said going to the board. “Someone delivered bullets to the precinct yesterday.”

“Yo, we don’t even know if those bullets are related to Gil, you told me one of my first day assumptions were your enemy.” At the look Sarah shot him he relented, “I mean it prob’ly is the bullets from Gil but still...”

“If ballistics gets back they can tell us which gun the bullets came from.”

“If the gun is registered.” Sarah nodded, her eyes fixed on the board, “Whatcha thinkin’ Linden?”

“I... don’t know.”

“Well that’s troublin’, Linden not knowing somethin’? Pfft, we’re all doomed.”

Chortling, Sarah shook her head, and turned to her partner, “Go see your sister Holder.”

Holder’s eyes widened and he raised his arms, “Wha- it’s too early Linden!”

Sarah shrugged, “We can’t move anywhere else, not without leaving to interview the suspects again, and that would make you late for your lunch date... so go. I can handle things ‘til you get back.”

Confused and maybe a little hurt at being sent away, Holder stood up slowly, “You sure?”

Sarah nodded, “Enjoy, go.” She sat down at her computer and began the surveillance video again.

“Alright... hey don’t watch that screen too long, your brain’ll melt.”

“Goodbye Holder,” Sarah said is an almost musical tone.

——

Holder drove about 15-minutes northwest of downtown to Magnolia, a residential neighborhood in Seattle. His sister didn’t live too far away from Discovery Park, in a small 2-story house painted a dark green. Holder pulled into the driveway, and swaggered up to the small porch with peeling green paint noticing the newly planted flowers out front, definitely planted by children’s hands. With a fond smile, Holder rang the doorbell, footsteps grew louder as they approached the door which swung open to reveal Liz Holder, shorter than her brother, but just the same: tough as nails.

Shock and surprise was evident on Liz’s face as she looked at her brother, “Stephen?”

Holder smiled, “Hey sis.”

Liz smiled, still in shock, “You’re early, we weren’t expecting you for a few more hours.”

“Got cut loose so I could spend time with the fam, know what I’m sayin’? Ya gonna invite me in or what?”

“Yeah, c’mon in,” Liz stepped back and held the door open for Holder to walk by.

——

Linden was still watching the surveillance video over an hour after Holder had left, convinced there had to be something she was missing, anything that could hint at who the hooded figure could be.

Someone knocked on the office door, Sarah glanced up from the screen, and saw that it was Ray holding a manilla folder. “Hey Ray,” she clicked to pause the video, “whatcha got?”

“Where’s Holder?” asked Ray.

It was then Sarah noticed the look on the tech’s face, a combination of regret, fear, and anticipation.

“He’s not here, he’s taking some personal time,” said Sarah. “What’s going on?”

Looking grim Ray held up the folder, “Ballistics report came back, they got a match on the bullets.”

Sarah stood up abruptly, “Great!” She stepped forward and took the folder from Ray opening it up. As she read the words on the page, her initial excitement dissipated, and was replaced with anxiety and fear. Sarah re-read the report, then read it again, “No...”

“I’m sorry.”

Sarah looked up, there was no mistaking the sympathy and regret on Ray’s face. Sarah shook her head vehemently, “No, this is wrong. It has to be wrong.”

“Linden… It’s not.”

Sarah looked back down to read the words on the report again:

_Confirmed match : Firearm : Glock 17, 9mm : Registered to one : Stephen Holder._

——

Laughter floated into the kitchen from the living room, “Stephen,” Liz called out. “Can you quit playing with my kids and come set the table?”

A moment later still chuckling, Holder walked into the kitchen, “Alright already, ya buzzkill.”

Liz handed Holder a stack of plates, “Oh I’ll show you a buzzkill.”

Holder smiled at his sister and nudged her arm with his, “Just like old times, huh?”

Liz shook her head, “Here I thought I only had two children.” She smiled brightly as Holder stuck out his tongue.

Holder’s phone was buzzing in his jacket where it hung on the back of the chair in the dining area.

——

Linden drove faster then she could ever recall driving. She sped down the street, with the siren and flashers running, one hand on the wheel, the other pressing her cell phone to her ear, “C’mon Holder, please, please pick up.”

He didn’t answer.

——

Liz leaned through the doorway, “Kids, time for lunch!” A small boy and a young girl ran into the two seats beside Holder and Liz once she had taken her seat. She looked at her children expectantly, “Who wants to say grace?”

“I will!” Davie said enthusiastically before he put his hands together and bent his head down. “God is great god is good let us thank him for our food! Amen!”

The family dug into the meal picking up forks and knives, over the clattering of utensils Liz noticed a strange noise, “What’s that sound?”

Holder paused to listen, “Dam- dang,” correcting himself because of the kids. “Must be my phone.” Holder reached back to his jacket to pull his phone and answer.

——

Sarah pulled up to Liz’s house and ran to the steps up the porch to the doorstep, ringing the bell and knocking insistently until finally the door opened,

Holder had come to the door and swung it open fiercely, “Linden?”

Sarah’s chest rose and fell rapidly, “Holder...”  
——

Officer Maxwell pulled his patrol car up to the address dispatch had directed him to. He had been told the circumstances, so it didn’t surprise him when he saw Detectives Linden and Holder having a heated conversation on the front porch of the house. Keeping a hand on his weapon, Maxwell got out of the car and walked to the front door.

“I didn’t do this!” Holder yelled to his partner.

Maxwell cleared his throat, “Detective Stephen Holder?”

Both homicide detectives turned to the officer, Linden put a hand out, “I got this.”

“I’m sorry ma’am, Lieutenant Carlson gave strict instruction that you were not to handle the arrest.”

Linden closed her eyes briefly, then she glanced back at Holder, “Fine. But I’m coming with you.”

“Ma’am—”

Linden’s head spun back to the cop, “I don’t want to hear it, I’m coming with you.” She turned to Holder and fingered the handcuffs in her belt, “Turn around, put your hands behind your back.”

“Stephen?” Liz had come from the dining room to see what was going on.

Holder had turned around as Linden had instructed and looked at his sister as he spoke, “Liz take the kids upstairs, please.”

Linden closed the handcuffs around Holder’s wrists, then took his gun from his holster and tucked it into her waistband, “You’re under arrest for the murder of Gil Sloane,”

Maxwell moved forward and took Holder’s arm and began to recite the Miranda Right’s as he pulled Holder to the patrol car.

“Maybe call a lawyer!” Holder called over his shoulder to his sister who still stood in the doorway shell-shocked.

Maxwell opened the back door of his patrol car, and pushed down on Holder’s head to get him inside. The door closed and Maxwell turned to Linden who had followed them and stood right behind him, “What about your car ma’am?”

Linden glared at him, “I’ll call a uni to get it, let’s go.”

She climbed into the front seat of the patrol car, and Maxwell got behind the wheel turning on the engine and driving away from the house.

The silence in the car was tangible until Holder spoke, “Can’t believe you think I did this.”

Linden’s head turned slightly to speak over her shoulder, “You have the right to remain silent remember? I suggest you use it.”

Holder shook his head, “After everythin’ we been through.”

“Holder...”

“I guess it meant nothin’. Well, I got news for you, I ain’t goin’ down without a fight.”

Holder slammed his hands into the plastic that separated the front from the back. Somehow he had broken free from his handcuffs, and was using them like a brass knuckle.

“Holder no!”

When the plastic didn’t seem to give, Holder turned and braced himself by pushing his arms out to the backseat and the driver’s seat, he kicked his feet against the window until it cracked. Maxwell looked up into the rear view when he heard the glass splinter,

“Look out!” Linden screamed.

Maxwell looked back onto the road and swerved, the vehicle went off the road and collided with a tree at full speed. At the impact the air bags deployed, sending debris into the air, Maxwell and Linden’s seatbelts had locked up, and Holder who had seen the crash coming, had clicked on a seatbelt too. Holder undid the seatbelt, and kicked out the window, before climbing out of the car. He threw open Linden’s door, and grabbed his side arm from her waistband, then he pulled her out of the car and threw an arm around her chest clutching her tight to his body.

After the initial shock, Maxwell had gotten out of the vehicle and reached for his own weapon, but Holder shook his head as he saw the man’s hand go for his holster, “Put it down or I shoot her.”

Linden shook her head desperately, “Holder, please don’t do this...”

“Shut up!” Holder screamed in her ear, jamming the gun into her side. He looked back at the other cop, “Do it! Put it down!”

Slowly Maxwell put his gun on the ground, and Holder gave a sharp nod, “‘Cuff yourself to the door, throw away the key.”

Maxwell did as he said, his eyes glued to the gun pushing into Detective Linden’s side. Maxwell took out his handcuffs and closed one around his wrist, attaching the other cuff to the door handle on the inside of the car.

“Holder,” Sarah begged. “Holder please...”

With Maxwell detained, Holder pushed Linden in front of him but grabbed a fistful of her sweater so that she was still in range, “You didn’t believe me. I can’t believe you didn’t me.”

Shakily, Linden swallowed and gave a jerk of her head, “What you’re doing now? That’s not gonna help.”

Holder pulled Sarah in closer to him, so that they were nearly nose to nose, “Fuck you Sarah Linden.”

Then Holder raised the gun and swung it down striking her in the face and sending her to the ground with an unceremonious thud, out cold.

——

Mateo sat behind a wall of glass wearing an orange jumpsuit. There was a telephone on the wall to the left, and when Claire Wallace walked into the room, she sat on the other side of the glass and picked up the phone on her side.

“Hi, Mateo.”

Pleasantly surprised, Mateo took a moment to gather his thoughts, “Uh, hey Claire.”

“How are you doin’?”

“I mean...” he shrugged, “ya know...”

“Yeah...” Claire bobbed her head in a nod, “do you got anyone to uh, do some of that jail bond shit?”

Mateo shook his head, “Naw, don't got no one.”

Claire let out a sigh and looked down running a hand through her hair. Suddenly, she looked up, “Hang tight alright?”

“Wh-What do you mean?”

“I’m gonna figure somethin’ out.”

“No Claire—” Mateo was shaking his head.

“No, no it’s... it’s alright. Hang in there. I gotta go.”

Without another word Claire put the receiver back onto the wall, stood up and walked away. Mateo gaped after her, his mouth parted, and the phone still in his hand.

——

Lieutenant Carlson arrived onto the chaotic scene with more patrol cars then he could count, two ambulances, and goddamn a fire truck. The lieutenant stormed over to the ambulance where he saw his detective and patrol officer being treated by an EMT, “What the fuck happened?” Linden didn’t look willing to share so Carlson looked to Maxwell.

The younger man cleared his throat, “Sir, the suspect created a distraction and caused us to crash. He escaped from the back of the vehicle, and held Detective Linden at gunpoint,” Carlson’s eyes glanced at Linden who avoided his gaze. “He had me put down my weapon and handcuff myself to the vehicle and then... he got away.”

“That from the crash?” Carlson asked Linden regarding the swelling purple cut on her face that the EMT was currently tending to.

“No sir,” Linden bit out.

When she didn’t elaborate, Maxwell shot a glance at her before he said, “He, uh, he pistol whipped her sir, Holder did. Knocked her out for a few minutes, he used the time to getaway.”

Carlson shook his head before looking her in the eye, “Head to the precinct for debrief,” then as an afterthought, he looked at the EMT who had just applied a butterfly stitch to her face. “She can go right?”

The EMT nodded, “She’s all set.”

“No sir, we should be out there looking for him,” Linden stood up, albeit wobbly, but she got to her feet all the same.

“That wasn’t a request, it was an order.” Carlson snapped before his face softened slightly, “Debrief, now.”

——

Linden recounted the story to a team of detectives she had never met before. By the time she was free to go, the sun had begun to set and her patience was running at an all time low. Sarah walked by the bullpen and saw a large group of detectives and uniforms gathering, one of the officers walked by and she stopped him, “What’s going on?”

“Task force meeting,”

“For What?”

He gulped, “For Detective Stephen Holder ma’am.”

Linden stormed towards the bullpen when she heard her name, “Detective Linden!”

It was Carlson, she changed course and walked up to him, “Sir I need to be on the task force.”

“You’re to go home tonight, and we’ll reevaluate tomorrow.”

“But sir—”

“Look Linden, I get he’s your partner. But for now, you go home. No excuses.”

Before she could say anything else he walked away, leaving her fuming in the middle of the hall.

——

Garrity sat in his patrol car, and changed the radio frequency to S.P.D.’s just in time to hear the broadcast:

Suspect is white male, mid-thirties, blonde facial hair, approximately 6’2 1/2” tall, last seen wearing a grey hoodie and black bomber jacket. Fled from scene of arrest for murder of Gil Sloane, suspect Stephen Holder is armed and dangerous.

Garrity glowered and punched the steering wheel.

——

In the bullpen at Seattle P.D., a bulletin board had been put up with a picture of Stephen Holder, Lieutenant Carlson stood by it as he rallied the detectives and officers in the room, “Alright listen up people. Our objective is to find Stephen Holder, homicide detective. I understand some of you may have reservations about going after one of our own, and if you do, I suggest you put that sissy crap behind you right now or you leave your shield on my desk. We’re looking for a cop killer, and I don’t need anyone who hesitates.”

——

Sarah Linden pulled into her driveway up to her new home on Vashon Island. She went through her unlocked front door and found Holder sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

“Hell of a plan that was Linden.”


	8. Day 4 continued and Day 5

Sarah closed the door and heaved a big sigh, sliding her jacket off and hanging it on the staircase railing.

“Carlson suspect anything?” Holder asked mutedly.

“No,” Sarah breathed out and moved towards the kitchen. “We should be clear. No one followed you?”

“Nah,” Holder shook his head. “Took the Water Taxi from Pier 50 jus’ like you said to do, and then walked all the way here. Wait, Linden stop...” He reached out and and gently grabbed her wrist.

“Holder...” Sarah protested weakly, but allowed herself to be pulled closer to him.

Holder brushed away a strand of red hair from Sarah’s bruised face, she stared up at him with her ice blue eyes waiting for him to say something.

“Does it hurt?” Holder asked quietly.

“It’s fine...” she said softly not wanting to make a fuss. In truth it had hurt more then she had anticipated. Sarah had seen his hand come down at her with the gun but hadn’t felt the impact until she regained consciousness, at which point she was certain he had broken something in her face. His thumb brushed over the small butterfly bandage that covered the skin that had split open on impact with the gun.

Holder shook his head and lowered his arm, “Still don’t see why that was necessary.”

“You said it yourself, County was out for blood. If they found out you were taken in, there’s no you would’ve been safe. Not to mention the criminals who find out you’re a cop when they put you in jail.”

“No I get that part,” Holder waved a hand. “I don’t get why you made me slap the shit outta you.”

“Really?” Sarah arched an eyebrow, or tried to. “How else were you planning to convince the cop it was real?”

He shrugged and turned away, “Man I don’t know, I just hate what I done to you.” He rubbed his hands over his face and leaned against her kitchen counter.

Sarah shrugged nonchalantly, “I told you to do it though, so it’s fine.”

Holder didn’t respond to her dismissal and instead changed the subject, “That phone call...” he huffed and glanced down. “You scared the shit outta me. Didn’t know what the hell I was gonna do, I froze. Liz came over and said it looked I’d seen a ghost, and I told her they were comin’ for me.”

Sarah fought the urge to wince at his words, “How’d she take it?”

“You ain’t her favorite person in the world right now but she knows you mean well.”

Her head bobbed, “She played along... it was good.”

Holder chuckled and nodded, “Yeah, she about threatened to lock Kayla and Davie in the pantry if they didn’t quit tryin’ to help out too.”

A small smirk graced Sarah’s lips for a brief moment before melting away, “They knew it was fake then?”

“Yeah. They knew. Liza had already sent ‘em upstairs, put ‘em in her bedroom so they wouldn’t hear nothin’.”

Sarah nodded, then she cleared her throat and turned to walk back to the hall, “I have groceries in the car, stay here, I’ll be right back.”

It took Sarah 3-trips to the car to bring in all the bags of groceries. Holder helped her put things away in the cupboards and the refrigerator, another gift the previous owners had left behind. Sarah made scrambled eggs for both of them to eat, and after dinner they put the dishes in the dishwasher.

“What I don’t get,” Sarah began to say as she closed the dishwasher, “is... how did they get your gun.”

Holder’s lips had been pressed together, and he blew a large breath of air out of them causing them to move like a horse. “I have no fuckin’ clue. I been thinkin’ ‘bout it all day, and I don’t know how.”

Sarah thought for a moment, “Where’s your side arm?”

“My belt is under my jacket.” His jacket was lying down on the table, Sarah went over and lifted the bomber jacket to reveal Holder’s belt with his holster, badge, and handcuffs.

Sarah removed the gun, and a sense of dread came over her—which was impressive due to the day she already had. “Holder... this isn’t your gun.”

“The hell you talkin’ ‘bout? ‘Course it is!”

She shook her head, “S.P.D. standard issue is a Glock 17, this is a Glock 19.”

“The fuck?!” Holder went to her side looking down at the gun, “How can you tell?”

Sarah took out her own gun and laid the two firearms side by side, “The barrel and grip on the 17 is longer, look.”

The difference was subtle, but it was there. Holder’s hands went to his head, he stepped back and pulled on the small strands of his hair, “Oh my god... oh my...fuck...no, no, no...”

“Holder,” Sarah stepped right in front of him and jerkily, like a robot, she reached out and gripped his forearm. “It’s alright, it’s gonna be okay, we’re gonna figure this out.”

His eyes bore into hers, and after a moment he nodded silently.

Sarah released his arm, and looked around, “You should get some rest. If you want we can build the twin bed, I bought it for when Jack visits, but you can use it so you’re not on the floor.”

Holder put his arms down shook his head, “I’ll take care of the beds tomorrow.”

Her face scrunched slightly, “Holder...”

“What else am I gonna do with my time? Can’t go nowhere can I?”

“Fine,” she conceded nodding. “Well then, I’m gonna head up to bed... goodnight.”

“G’night Linden.” Sarah started to head to the hallway and had begun to climb the staircase when Holder called up, “Yo wait!”

She stopped and turned around, “What is it?”

Holder rummaged through his jacket pocket and pulled out a small key, “Forgot to give this back to you, your handcuffs key.”

He tossed it to her and she caught it easily. Sarah held the key up and nodded, “Right, thanks.”

“You know, Linden, you believed me right away,” Holder said softly. “No hesitation. And now you’re risking every thin’ for me. Why?”

Sarah’s lips parted slightly but no sound came out. Then, softly she said, “I know you.”  
Holder didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t press the issue any further. He bobbed his head and gave a small wave, “G’night.”

Sarah went up the stairs.

November 21, 2012  
Day 5

The next morning found Sarah repeating her actions from the previous day, except that a weight now accompanied her she hadn’t had before. She headed downstairs wearing a dark grey sweater with a turtle neck and began to brew some coffee, debating whether or not she would eat some of the cereal she had picked up the day before.

Holder walked into the kitchen wearing the same jeans as yesterday, he had discarded his hoodie and wore a white wife-beater instead. Sarah threw him a brief glance before pouring out a mug of coffee and holding it out for him, which he graciously accepted.

“Don’t leave the house,” she said pouring a mug for herself. “Stay inside, just you know...”

“Yeah, I gotcha,” Holder said going to the fridge.

“I got you a burner yesterday, it’s in the drawer above the dishwasher. I’ll use it to call you, you use it to call me... don’t turn on your cell phone, okay?”

“I know,” Holder poured creamer into his coffee.

Sarah gestured around the house, “Help yourself to, whatever. I’ll be in touch,” she finished the dregs of the coffee and put the mug into the dishwasher. Then she headed into the hallway and grabbed her phone and keys.

“Yo, Linden,” Holder called after her.

Sarah poked her head back into the kitchen, “Yeah?”

Looking uncomfortable, Holder rubbed the back of his head, “Thanks for... ya know...”

With a sharp nod of of her head, Linden looked down before the corner of her mouth turned up, “BFF’s, right?”

Surprised, but also pleased, Holder huffed a laugh. Sarah turned and headed out of the house.

——

Deputy Bryson Garrity whirled into work at the King County Sheriff’s Department with a purpose. Knocking not-so-nicely on the door of L.T. Alonzo Sanchez’s office, Garrity made his way inside without waiting for an invitation.

Alonzo scowled infuriated, “Deputy! What is the meaning of this?!”

“It was Holder,” Garrity panted out. “I heard it over the radio, Holder killed Gil.”

“What?”

Garrity hadn’t noticed Cami had been in the office with Sanchez, her exclamation threw him off momentarily but he quickly recovered, “It’s true. We’ll probably get the BOLO today.”

“No,” Cami started to say. “Holder would never—”

“No way they’re gonna issue BOLO over official channels if they didn’t have the evidence to do so,” Garrity raised his arms in defense, a satisfied smirk on his face. “Don’t shoot the messenger Cami. But your old partner? He’s crooked.”

Without another word Garrity left the room, no doubt to spread the word about Stephen Holder. Looking beyond troubled, Cami turned to Sanchez, who avoided her gaze.

——

Linden had boarded the Issaquah and rode over to the Fauntleroy terminal after a phone call with Ray at S.P.D. during which the tech informed her that the address of Lesley Adams was a residence in Madrona off of Lake Washington Boulevard. As Linden drove up to the house she saw that it was quite large, tan with white accents for windows and doors and a brown roof. Black gates wrapped around the two second story balconies, stone steps led to the stone patio which reached from the front door and double doors that opened from a living space, supposedly for when the resident would want to let in an afternoon breeze—but for Seattle in the winter more likely for when the resident would want to turn their home into an igloo.

Parking directly in front of the house, Linden got out of the car and made her way up the driveway on the right to the stone steps leading up to the patio. the doorbell made a pleasant chime when she pressed the fancy looking contraption with her finger and then stepped back to wait for the door to open while pulling out her detective’s shield. Moments later the door swung open, and there stood Lesley Adams, not wearing the suits Sarah had grown accustomed to seeing him in, but instead wearing a light pink polo shirt with white pants and bare feet.

Adams didn’t seem all that surprised to see Linden at his front door, “My, what on earth happened to your face... and there’s no need for the badge Detective, I know who you are.”

“I’m required to show my badge Mr. Adams,” Linden ignored his question and slipped her badge back onto her belt, “but it’s good to know I made a lasting impression.” Adams huffed, but didn’t respond to her snark. “May I come inside?”

“By all means,” Adams stretched an arm out inviting Linden in, and closing the door behind her.

Stepping inside Adams’ home, Linden privately thought it was a large contributing factor as to why the man had fought so hard to win the election to keep his job as mayor. She had stepped into a grand foyer made of white marble which appeared to be so large it seemed impossible that there could be any space left for the rest of the house. Adams led her past a winding staircase into a kitchen with slightly darker marble surfaces, and a corner brick oven in addition to the usual appliances, and a line of windows was on the wall opposite the kitchen overlooking a beautiful green yard. Adams sat on a stool at his kitchen island and looked at the detective expectantly, “Well, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Do you remember Gil Sloane?” Linden asked.

Adams’ face scrunched up as though he were thinking hard, “The name does does sound familiar...”

“He was a member of your group of individuals working to get you elected by... not so savory means. That ring a bell?”

A condescending smile crossed Adams’ face, “Well now that you mention it, yes, I do recall Mr. Sloane, the retired police lieutenant yes? But these, unsavory means you talk about, I’m sure I do not know what it is you mean.”

Linden huffed with a small noise at the back of her throat as she pressed her lips together and nodded, “Of course, the loss of the election must have worn your memory down.”

The smile dropped from Adams’ face, replaced with anger he tried and failed to control, “What is it you want?”

“Gil Sloane was murder five days ago, on November 17th.”

“Well I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m not sure what it has to do with me.”

“After you lost the election,” Linden walked around the kitchen island to get closer to Adams, “you couldn’t deliver anything you promised to your compatriots. So what was stopping them, from coming forward and admitting that you had run a dirty campaign?”

“I say again Detective, I am unsure what you mean.”

“You and I both know that that’s not true.”

Adams stood up abruptly, “And you and I both know that there was a deal made that exonerated me from any charges, so I say again Detective, I do not know what you mean.”

“Did Gil grow a conscious?” Linden’s voice grew louder as she spoke, “He wanted to come forward and confess didn’t he? Didn’t he?” Her voice was growing louder.

“Get o—”

She was shouting now, “And you had him killed for it, didn’t you?!”

“GET OUT!” Adams bellowed at the top of his lungs, his face a shade of beet red, his whole body shaking with fury, “You have be worn out your welcome.”

Linden stared up into his furious eyes and spoke softly, “It’s only a matter of time, I will prove it.”

Without waiting for another dismissal, Linden walked back towards the foyer, and through the front door back to her car. Once she was back behind the wheel, she looked up at Adams’ house and could just barely see him staring at her out of the double doors. Sarah picked up her cellphone and found the new number she programmed into her phone.

“ _Yo, Linden ‘sup?_ ” said Holder.

“I just got done talking with Adams,” she glanced back towards the house, but Adams was gone.

“ _Yeah? And how’d that go?_ ”

Her head tilted slightly, “It could’ve gone better.”

Holder chuckled, “ _So, I’m guessing it was a bust?_ ”

Linden turned on the car engine, “For now, but I think I can revisit it. He’s rattled about something, I just don’t know if it has anything to do with the murder.” There was a clatter on the other clatter followed by Holder cursing, “What the hell was that?”

Sounding distant at first Holder said, “ _I’m building your bed, bit more complicated then I thought it would be. You get this shit at IKEA?_ ”

“Well... yeah. It was inexpensive.”

“ _Yeah well the instructions are in Swedish, so it’s makin’ things interesting to say the least._ ” There was another clatter, and then Holder sounded much closer, “ _So what’s the next step?_ ”

“I’m going to head to the station, have to talk with Carlson. Then I was thinking of heading back out to Claire’s, might go better without you there.”

“ _Yo first of all, that hurts Linden. Second, it ain’t just me, junkies just hate cops aight?_ ”

“I gotta go, don’t hurt yourself.”

“ _No guarantees with this IKEA shit._ ”

Linden closed the phone and put the car into drive, pulling away from the curb she watched the side mirror as Adams’ house disappeared over the hill she drove down.

——

Detective Linden pulled into the parking lot at the precinct, and promptly made her way into the station. There was a certain energy about the place that Sarah couldn’t quite identify, but based on the looks the beat cops and detectives were shooting her, she could guess what it was about.

Lieutenant Carlson’s Office was inside of the bullpen, where the task force charged with finding Holder was working out of. Sarah turned into the bullpen and ahead saw bulletin board that had a blown up photo of Holder, the one he had taken when he started working at S.P.D. Sarah could also see pictures from his academy class, as well as his official records. A map of the city had also been pinned up, and had different colored markers indicated on it.

“Detective!” Sarah turned to see Carlson standing in the doorway of his office, she headed over.

“Sir,” she said once he had closed the door and had gone to stand behind his desk.

“Detective Linden, due to the circumstances surrounding this case... I feel it prudent that I remove you from this investigation.”

“That’s not necessary sir,” said Sarah.

Carlson gave her a doubtful look, “Oh? You’re telling me you can remain objective?”

“Yes, of course. I’m not leaving this case.”

He shook his head and sighed, “Look Linden, I get it, I do.”

“I don’t think you do,” Sarah said before he could continue. “I’m not convinced Holder was acting out of malice, I believe he was acting out of fear.”

The lieutenant arched an eyebrow, “Fear?”

“He’s innocent, and didn’t want to be arrested. You and I both know what can happen to a cop in jail, not to mention the maniacs over at County if they got their hands on him.”

“Is that right?”

It was clear Carlson didn’t believe a word she was saying, but Sarah wouldn’t give up on this front, “That’s right. You don’t want to put me on the task force? Fine, but I’m going to continue working my case.”

“And if Detective Holder is guilty?” asked Carlson crossing his arms.

She shrugged, “Then he’s guilty. But either way I’m going to find out the truth.”

Sarah expected Carlson to shut her down, even yell at her. The man must have had a hell of a long night or something, because all he did was shake his head and sit down, “Dismissed.”

Momentarily taken aback at the concession, Sarah paused before she left the office, and headed out of the precinct. She got into her car and pulled out of the parking lot. She didn’t notice Deputy Garrity tailing her from a distance.

——

Lesley Adams went to his study and opened his liquor cabinet underneath one of the bookshelves. He took out the crystal decanter of Aberfeldy 12 along with a glass from the set. He poured himself a finger and drank it down at once before refilling the glass again. He picked up the glass and bottle, and took a seat in the brown leather chair by the fire place.

Putting down both the glass and decanter on the small side table, Adams reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone dialing a number. The line started to ring, and he took his glass and gulped down the second serving of scotch.

“ _Hello?_ ”

“Abani,” Adams said in a dark tone. “Guess who I just got a visit from?”

The man on the other line sighed and sounded exasperated before he replied, “ _I don’t know, who?”_

Adams chuckle didn’t sound anywhere near humorous, “The Detective, Mr. Abani. The detective came to my house.”

A short pause followed this, then Abani replied, “ _I don’t work for you anymore._ ”

Adams dropped all pretenses, he leaned forward and raised a finger even though Abani could not see this, “Yes you do! The amount of money I paid you, you are in my employ until I say otherwise!”

“ _And what do you want me to do, huh?!_ ” Abani snapped losing his temper, “ _I’ve done an awful lot for you sir,_ ” he said the last word nastily and with extreme heat, “ _and I’m done serving you. I’ve helped you accomplish some unspeakable acts. I know your secrets Adams, I know them all. And I’m done with you._ ”

“Now you wait just a—” the dial tone sounded, Abani had hung up. Furious, Adams chucked his phone across the rug, he picked up the decanter and poured an entire glass until he threw that too and watched it smash into pieces sending crystal and scotch flying everywhere.

——

Georgetown wasn’t very far from downtown, so it only took 10-minutes for Sarah to get to Claire’s apartment. Pulling up once again to the old white building, Detective Linden killed the engine and headed inside. Sarah walked up to Claire’s apartment door and knocked, it didn’t take too long for her to answer.

The woman didn’t look pleased to see Sarah back on her doorstep, Claire’s face fell from the neutral expression she had been wearing when she’d answered the door, “What do you want?”

“Can we talk?” asked Sarah, not even bothering to show her badge.

Claire rolled her eyes and regretfully stepped back to let Sarah into her apartment, closing the door behind the detective.

“Where’s Stephen?” Claire asked with an attitude behind the question.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” said Sarah turning to face Claire.

“He give you that?” Claire pointed to the wound on Linden’s face.

“Yeah, actually, he did.”

Claire froze, her eyebrows contracted, “You're shittin’ me.”

Sarah smirked, and looked down then back up, “No, I’m not.”

“The hell did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything, but Holder... they’re accusing him of killing Gil, Miss Wallace.” When the woman didn’t respond Sarah continued, “They found some evidence, and the want to arrest him, put him away. So he escaped, he’s on the run, and there’s a manhunt underway to arrest him.”

Claire gaped at Sarah, “Stephen wouldn’t do that to Gil.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that, because I believe that too. So I need your help.”

“What the hell do you expect me to do? You’re the cop.”

“Did Gil ever mention, or, talk about Holder? Um, Stephen?”

Claire rubbed her nose before crossing her arms, she moved her leg up and down staring at Sarah for a few moments before she answered, “Gil talked about a protege of sorts, kept saying how the guy was gonna go places ya know? Came home one day and said a “Holder” got a gig at the city police in homicide, and he, Gil, helped him get it.”

“You knew Gil was a cop?”

“...yeah, I knew. I didn’t know Stephen was Holder though, not until you showed up the other day together.”

Sarah nodded absorbing the information, “Did Gil ever say anything else?”

Claire huffed, “We didn’t spend a whole lotta time chatting, aight?”

——

Sarah walked out of Claire’s apartment building, she looked around and saw the street was empty, so she took out her phone and dialed, “Hey it’s me. I just finished speaking with her, she knew Gil was a cop, didn’t know about about you though.”

Her voice carried on the empty block and just around the corner where Deputy Garrity was parked in his patrol car. Immediately, he knew who Linden was talking to.

——

Benjamin Abani sat at the bar in Sully’s, nursing an amber drink. When the bartender came over to top him off, Abani held up a hand and shook his head. He reached into his pocket and left a few bills on the counter before heading out of the joint.

Abani walked around the corner of the bar putting his hands into his pockets and he shrugged his shoulders to fight the night chill. He had only gone one block, when a man dashed out in front of him wielding a metal bat and taking a swing at Abani’s stomach. With a yelp and a groan, Abani fell to the ground, clutching a hand to his abdomen. The bat swung down and collided with his hand, breaking a bone inside, he screamed in pain, but a kick to the face effectively silence him.

Abani laid on the ground moaning, the bat had been dropped next to him, and the assailant ran away.

——

Sarah walked into her house to find all of the lights off, and the living room empty. In a slight panic, she ran upstairs to check the guest room, and found Holder was fast asleep in the twin bed. With a sigh of relief, Sarah headed to her own room, and collapsed in the newly built queen bed Holder had put together that day.


	9. Day 6

November 22, 2012  
Day 6

Sarah had been sleeping on Holder’s couch for a few weeks during after the Rosie Larsen case, then she had spent the past few nights in the sleeping bag. So sleeping on a mattress for the first time in a while, Sarah felt like she had slept on a cloud. She didn’t want to raise her head from plush mattress when she heard her phone going off next to her, and she even took an extra moment lying down listening to the chime on her phone, before reaching over and picking it up, “This is Detective Linden.”

“ _Hey it’s Ray, when I got to work this morning I had to do some data entry from some cases yesterday._ ”

Linden’s sleep-addled brain was having trouble computing this information, “Why are you telling me this?”

“ _Because, one of the entires I that handled was an assault that was reported last night in Queen Anne. A guy was attacked by someone with a bat, broke a few ribs and his nose. Guess who the victim was?_ ”

“Who?”

“ _Benjamin Abani._ ”

Sarah sat up quickly, “What?”

“ _Yeah, he was taken to Seattle General last night, released on his own recognizance._ ”

“Did he say who attacked him?”

“ _No, Abani says he didn’t see the guy. He didn’t give a description._ ”

“Alright, thanks Ray.”

“ _No problem._ ”

Sarah closed her cellphone and tapped it on her chin, after a moment she stood up and started to strip out of yesterday’s clothes, and went to the box of clothing in the corner. She took out a new pair of jeans, socks, undergarments, t-shirt, and a white sweater with a brown pattern. Sarah dashed out of her room and into the bathroom where she took a quick shower and changed into the clean clothes.

Once changed, Sarah went back to her bedroom and retrieved her badge and gun, then she ran down the stairs debating whether or not she would make some coffee. When she sat at the bottom of the stairs and pulled her shoes on, the door to the guest room upstairs opened and Holder came down the stairs, “Yo, what’s all the rumpus ?”

“Got a call from Ray,” Sarah stood up and reached for her coat hanging on the bannister. “Abani was attacked last night.”

“Say what?” Holder’s eyes, which had been sleep deprived moments before, now looked crystal clear.

Sarah nodded and fixed the collar of her coat, pulling out her ponytail trapped in between it and her sweater, “Yeah, I’m gonna go see him.”

“You think it’s connected?”

“Maybe,” she shrugged. “What about you? What’ll you do today?”

Holder made an impassive shrug, “I can unpack more I guess, I mean, I been tryin’ to think about anythin’ that could with the case, but I came up with zip, nada.”

With a soft sigh, Sarah nodded, “Well, just, you know, don’t leave the house or make any calls.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Sarah could sense his frustration, “Hey, we’ll figure this out.” She turned and headed towards the door, “I’ll be back tonight.”

“Aight, you go slay the day. Maybe clear my name while you’re at it.”

Her eyebrows raised amusedly and the door closed behind her.

——

Bryson was heading on on patrol when his cell phone rang, “Yeah?”

“I saw that car you were asking about, the one being driven by the city detective.”

Anticipation and a thrill pulsed through Garrity, he threw open the door of the patrol car and ducked inside, “Where?!”

“Queen Anne, wait she just turned... hang on.” While Garrity waited he turned on the engine and pulled out of the station lot into the downtown streets to head northwest. “Got it, she’s stopped at some townhomes, I’ll text you the address.”

“Thanks I owe ya.”

“No you don’t, I’ll deny I ever gave you this information.” The phone clicked off.

——

Sarah parked by the curb in front of Abani’s townhouse, and promptly went up to the front door. A few moments after she rang the doorbell, Abani swung the door open and Sarah got a good look at his face: a purple welt had grown on his forehead, his nose was swollen, probably broken, and he had a swollen black eye. The way the man tried to shift his stance to stand more comfortably, told Sarah his ribs had indeed been broken just as Ray had told her earlier.

When Abani saw Sarah he scowled or he tried to, his attempt was in vain as it had clearly caused discomfort, “What do you want?”

“May I come in, Mr. Abani?”

For a moment it looked like Abani was going to slam the door in Detective Linden’s face, but then he swung the door further open and ascended the stairs leading up to his kitchen before she had even stepped inside. Abani sat in a chair at his kitchen table, a hand placed over chest as he settled down into it. Sarah walked up and stood opposite of Abani and leaned against the staircase bannister, “That looks very painful,” Sarah said nodding to his... everything.

“It is,” Abani spat out. “We both know that’s not why you’re here though. So what do you want?”

Sarah’s eyebrows raised slightly, “That actually is, why I’m here Mr. Abani. I read the assault report, you didn’t name or identify your attacker.”

“That’s because I didn’t see him.”

“I find that hard to believe seeing as how you just identified your attacker as a him, you clearly knew he was a man.”

Uncomfortable at his slip up, Abani tried to shift in his seat but yelped as he moved his chest the wrong way, “Alright, yes. It was a man, do you know how many men live in Seattle?”

Sarah ignored his question, “Do you think you were targeted?”

Abani’s jaw clenched, and he glanced away, “Why would I think that?”

“You tell me.”

He glared at her, “I have my suspicions.”

Sarah’s face was set in her natural scowl that would make lesser men cower, “Unless you talk to me, I can’t help you.”

“Talking to you is what got me in trouble in the first place.”

With a sigh Sarah looked down and nodded, “Alright, I guess that’s it then. If you want to spend the rest of your life under the thumb of an ego-maniac, you have every right to do so. I’ll see myself out.” She turned and walked parallel to bannister to go down the stairs.

“Wait.”

Sarah froze at the top of the stairs and looked over to Abani who was struggling to stand up, “Yes?”

Exhaling sharply Abani stood and out put a hand out onto the table to support himself, “What do you need?”

She faced him fully, “Tell me about Gil Sloane.”

Abani sighed and gestured for Sarah to sit at the table, she walked and took the seat across from him. Abani took his seat again and looked over at the detective, “Gil Sloane had cancer.”

“What?” It was the last thing Sarah had expected to hear.

Abani nodded, “He was dying. Adams found out, through some... unethical channels.”

“We have no record of an illness, we didn’t find any... medications or...”

“Sloane didn’t tell anyone, he was a man of pride. But he did retire early when Adams offered him a better gig.”

“How did Adams find out?”

“I have no clue,” Abani put his hands out. “It was through some medical sources. He found out about the diagnosis, and that Sloane wouldn’t be seeking treatment, so he hired him thinking he’d be dead in months.”

Appalled, Sarah looked down briefly and pressed her lips together, “No one else knew?”

Abani shook his head, “Sloane made it clear he didn’t want anyone else to know. That, at least, Adams kept his word about and saw to.”

Detective Linden leaned forward, “Did Lesley Adams have Gil Sloane killed?”

Abani looked straight into her eyes, he bit his lip and gave a sharp shake of his head, “I... I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

Sarah stood up agitated, she stuffed her hands into her jack pockets and looked down at the beaten man, “Are you done being his puppet? You think you can testify against him?”

Abani looked up at her.

——

Linden walked out of Abani’s townhouse to find that it had started to rain, so she pulled up her hood and ran back to her car. Once she was behind the wheel Sarah turned on the engine letting the heat run on low, then she took out her phone and called Holder.

“ _Yo, Linden._ ”

“Hey, it’s me.”

Holder chuckled softly, “ _I know it’s you, that’s why I said ‘Yo, Lin—_ ”

She cut him off, “I got Abani to testify against Adams.”

“ _Wha— no shit! For real?_ ”

Sarah nodded and put the car into drive pulling away from the curb, “Yeah.”

“ _So... so, did Adams kill Gil? Is he the one who framed me?_ ”

She sighed, “I... I don’t know. I don’t think so though,” Holder didn’t say anything. “I’m sorry Holder, there’s something else.”

“ _Yeah?_ ” He was obviously trying to hide his disappointment, “ _What’s that?_ ”

Sarah gritted her teeth, “The reason... Gil retired and went to work for Adams.”

“ _What?_ ”

“He... Gil was dying, he had cancer.” A long pause followed these words, “Holder? Are you there?”

“ _Cancer?_ ” Holder’s voice sounded croaky, disbelief was evident in his tone.

“Adams found out through some private medical channels. Gil hadn’t told anyone, apparently he refused treatment after the diagnosis.”

Another lengthy pause, “ _I gotta go Linden._ ”

Sarah made a sharp right turn onto an street with some businesses that hadn’t opened up for the day yet and she pulled up next to the curb, “Holder wait, just—”

“ _I gotta go._ ” There was a click, and a robotic woman’s voice informing her the connection had been terminated.

Sarah closed her eyes and groaned, frustrated with herself. Shit. She should have told him in person. The chirp of a siren had her had snapping up thinking she had inadvertently turned on the car’s siren. But the red and blue flashers in her rear view mirror caught her eye, and she saw through the rain on the back window, a County patrol car had pulled up behind her with it’s flashers on.

Quickly, Sarah stashed her phone into her jacket pocket, and when the deputy came up to her car she lowered the window, the rain splashing into the driver’s seat, “I’m sorry deputy, I was taking a phone call from my precinct,” Sarah lifted her detective’s shield. “I’m Detective Linden with Seattle P.D.”

“I know who you are. Step out of the vehicle ma’am.”

It was Garrity.

Sarah let out an exasperated sigh and looked to the front, with a shake of her head she slowly undid her seatbelt and opened the car door. It was then that she realized Garrity was holding his gun.

“Easy,” Sarah said looking from his firearm to his face. “Let’s just take it easy deputy.”

The heavy rain was soaking both of them now, but Garrity’s spite was unmistakable despite the raindrops distorting his face.

“Leave your gun on the seat,” he ordered. Sarah slowly took out her her Glock from its holster, and ejected the clip. Garrity jerked his arms and Sarah nearly flinched when his weapon raised just slightly as he spat out, “What are you doing?”

Sarah held her hands out, the clip in one hand and the gun in the other. She spoke in a calm voice, “If I’m going to leave a firearm in a car, I’m not going to leave it loaded.”

Regretfully, Garrity gave a sharp nod to let her proceed. Sarah turned back towards the car and put the gun down, discreetly slipping the clip into her pocket. When she turned back around and Garrity saw the unloaded gun was on the seat, he moved forward and gave Sarah a quick once over, patting her down without lowering his own gun. When he deemed her free of any other weapons, he jerked his head towards the sidewalk, “Walk.”

Sarah kept her hands out to her side as she walked onto the side walk, Garrity’s hand reached out to her shoulder and he marched her to an alleyway in between a bar and a bookstore. Halfway down the alley, without warning, Garrity turned Sarah around and threw her up against the brick wall of the bar shoving his gun into her abdomen, his other arm gripped her right arm that had been damaged from the chase the other day, “Where is he?”

“Where’s who?” Linden’s face, her whole being was challenging him, acting as though he didn’t even have a gun on her.

Garrity squeezed her arm and she winced, “Don't fucking lie to me, I know you’re hiding Holder.”

Sarah’s scowl was fierce, “I don’t know what you’re talking about deputy.”

“I’ve been following you, you keep checking in with him. Trying to make sure Gil’s murder goes unsolved? Or maybe, frame someone else?”

She pursed her lips and gave him a reproachful utterance, “You’re delusional deputy.”

“Am I?” His eyes squinted as though he were examining her, trying to find out what made her tick. “I have a brother who works Chicago P.D. and I know that’s where your son lives. You better tell me where Holder is, or I might just ask big bro for a favor. And he’d do it, detective, because we’re talking about a cop killer. So, where the fuck is he?”

A small smirk grew on Sarah’s lips infuriating Garrity even further, he shook her and gripped her arm even tighter, “The fuck is so funny!?”

With a condescending look, Sarah tilted her head and spoke calmly, “You truly are an incompetent cop, this was your plan? Take me at gun point, get me to confess?” The bravado the deputy had displayed was slowly fading, “Let me explain something to you, you’re playing in a sandbox with the big boys, and you don’t belong there. If I were you I’d cut my losses and get out now. Or your career is going to full of nothing but hardships.

“Also, threaten me all you want,” her face slowly turned into a murderous scowl. “But threatening my son? That’s just plain fucking stupid.”

Sarah’s right hand swung out, shaped into a fist, still clutching the clip from her Glock. Garrity’s face snapped the to the side, the gun arm he had on her went wide—she grabbed his wrist and forced the gun to point up, then she stepped behind him and with her grip tight on his wrist, she twisted his arm behind him and placed a hand onto the middle of his back, slamming him into the brick wall, before she snatched the gun out of his hand.

“Let me make this, very clear,” Detective Linden said in a breathy savage voice right behind Garrity’s ear as she pushed him further into the wall, “I won’t report you, I won’t ever speak of this again. But you ever threaten me, or my family ever again, and I will end you. Do you understand me?” Garrity didn’t say anything, and Sarah spun him around and grabbed a handful of his shirt, pulled him away from the wall and slammed him back into it. “I asked you a question deputy: do you understand me?” He let out a small nod and whimper, Linden gave a sharp nod. “Good. Now get the fuck out of my face.”

With one last shove into the wall, Garrity fell down to the pavement. Sarah unloaded his weapon and dropped it to his side before she walked back to her car.

——

Holder sat on a chair in the dining room with his elbows on his knees, and his head hanging between his legs. He sat up and took the burner cell phone from the table dialing a number, after a few rings Cami picked up,

“ _Hello?_ ”

Holder cleared his throat, “Hey.”

“ _Holy shit... that you Holder?_ ”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Cami let out a soft sigh, “ _The fuck are you doin’ guapo?_ ”

Startled, Holder’s face screwed up, “You think I did it?”

“‘ _Course not! But evidence is evidence, ya know._ ”

With a small sigh, Holder relaxed a bit, “We both know I’m a dead man if I go to jail,” he said darkly. “Between the tweakers, criminals... not to mention renegade cops.”

“ _Yeah, yeah I get it._ ” Cami sounded resigned, but understanding.

For a moment Holder didn’t say anything, his leg bounced up and down on the floor rapidly, “Did you know he was sick?”

“ _Who?_ ”

“Gil.”

She scoffed, “ _Sick with what?_ ”

Holder leaned back in his chair and sighed, “He really did keep it to himself then.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

Frustrated at the subterfuge, Cami’s voice grew louder, “ _Holder, what the hell are you talkin’ about?_ ”

Holder quickly leaned forward, “Yo keep your voice down, don’t want no one to know you’re talkin’ to me, you know how crazy they are at County.”

Cami didn’t answer right away, after a beat she said, “ _Guess that means you heard about your partner._ ”

Holder’s leg stopped bouncing, “What?”

“ _Garrity? He cornered her on the street today, got his ass kicked, literally and professionally. Dumbass was caught on his dash cam holding her at gun point._ ”

In disbelief, Holder’s mouth had dropped open, “You fuckin’ with me?”

Cami laughed, “ _Nope, but man Linden is badass. Messed up his face a bit but not too bad. He came into the station lookin’ grouchy as hell, but refused to say what happened to his face. His L.T. pulled the dash cam footage, put one and one together._ ” When Holder didn’t say anything, Cami thought she lost the connection, “ _Holder? You there?_ ”

Holder’s had shut his eyes tight, he took a breath before he spoke, “I’m gonna meet you ‘round the corner from County. I’ll let you know what time I want you to meet me there.”

“ _What— no!_ ”

“I’m surrendering, turnin’ myself in. I want you to be the one to do it..”

“ _Holder..._ ”

“Please Cami, c’mon.”

After a minute Cami blew out a breath, “ _I hate you, you know that right?_ ”

A small sad smile graced Holder’s lips, “I’ll text you the time, watch ya phone.”

——

Lesley Adams was led out of his house in handcuffs, news crews gathered on his front lawn, cameras flashing nonstop as he was put into the back of a squad car and driven away.

——

Mateo walked out of King County Jail, and saw Claire waiting for him at the entrance.

  
“Can’t believe you posted my bail,” Mateo said with a gracious smile.

  
Claire shrugged, “It’s what Gil would have done, I’m just sorry it didn’t happen sooner.”

——

Linden walked back into S.P.D. going towards her office, when Ray flagged her down, “Linden!” She spun to face him, he looked stricken, “Have you seen it?”

Linden’s brows contracted, “Seen what?”

Ray beckoned her and she quickly walked to join him in the tech room. Ray pointed to a screen broadcasting a breaking news headline:

 _Breaking news, murder suspect Stephen Holder, a detective with the Seattle Police Department has surrendered himself to authorities at the King County Sheriff’s Office. Holder allegedly shot and killed retired police lieutenant Gil Sloane the morning of November 17th, 2012. Holder will be transferred to the Seattle Police Department before being booked for the charges against him. We’ll inform you with more upda_ tes _as we learn them._


	10. Day 7

November 23, 2012   
Day 7

It was past midnight, and Sarah hadn’t gone home. She sat in the office, their office, her hands clasped together and pressed against her lips. She was looking at the whiteboard as though the answer was there... somewhere, in the board. It had to be, she had nothing else to go on. Standing up abruptly she began to pace, wanting nothing more then rip everything down from the board and destroy the thing. 

County would be transferring Holder over soon, and Sarah didn’t have a damn piece of evidence that could exonerate him. Sure, his gun had been taken and switched but they couldn’t prove his gun had been taken. It would just look like he was covering up for himself. 

Feeling restless, Sarah bit her lip and began to rub her hands together. Why hadn’t he just stayed at the house? Why did he go to County and surrender himself.

“Dammit Holder...” Linden shook her head, worried, but at the same time if she got her hands on Holder, she might just throttle him.

“Linden?”

Her head snapped to the office doorway where Ray stood, “Is he here?“

Ray nodded and without hesitation, Sarah dashed out of the room. She walked through the building over to booking, and found an officer standing guard outside of the transfer cell. She walked straight up to him, “I’d like to see him.”

The cop took one look at her, and must have realized who she was. He looked up and down the hall before his eyes met hers, “Five minutes.”

Sarah went into the holding room, the cell was against the back wall, and Holder sat on the flatbed that was built on the left wall of the cell. When the door opened he looked up at her, and Sarah’s anger at him dissipated. His face was messed up pretty badly, his left eye was swollen shut, he had a split lip as well as bruising on his cheek and there was a tissue or something stuffed into his nose, and that was just what Linden could see. 

“Jesus Holder...”

“Careful Sarah eyes and ears, don’t be takin’ the good lords name in vain now ya here?”

Linden clenched her eyes shut in frustration, fighting back the retort that came to her lips. She stepped further into the room and walked right up to the cell. When she opened her eyes, she saw that he was trying to convey a message, with out using words. When it seemed she wasn’t going to get it, he jerked his head towards the camera in the corner and she knew what he meant.

Don’t say anything to incriminate yourself or we’re gonna end up in deep shit just like me.

She swallowed and jerked her head up, “Why, turn yourself in now?”

Holder leaned and rolled his head back then looked at the camera hanging in the corner, “Well, I will go ahead and say this ON THE RECORD!” 

Sarah winced as Holder yelled the last part of the sentence, “This isn’t an interrogation Holder, nothing is on the record.”

“I don’t care, I know they listening,” Holder leaned forward. “I heard Deputy Garrity went rogue, went after you ‘cause he thought I was hidin’ out with ya. Which I was NOT doing!” Holder yelled to the camera again.

Subtle. Real subtle.

“Even if he did, I’m a cop Holder, I have a gun.”

“From what I understand so did he.”

Sarah scowled at him, and he dared her to challenge him with the expression he wore. Finally she looked away and shrugged, “Why didn’t you come to me?”

“I...couldn’t do that to you Linden.”

She sighed went to lean on the left wall right outside of the cell. Taking the opportunity to look at him, really look at him. Sarah didn’t think she’d ever seen him so exhausted before, “I’m sorry about Gil.”

“Yeah... me too.”

The door opened and the officer poked his head inside, tapping his wrist. 

Linden kicked off of the wall to stand up straight, “Hang in there Holder, I’m gonna fix this. Keep your head down, and stay out of trouble.”

“Ya know, the trouble is,” Holder looked up at her with a sly smirk. “Trouble seems to always find me.”

She managed a smirk as well, “I have to go.” She turned and walked to the door.

“It’s gonna be okay Linden.”

Sarah turned around and faced him, “I know.” Then she headed out of the room.

——

Claire and Mateo walked up to the brick building together. Mateo turned to Claire, “Sure you don’t wanna come in?”

“Uh... no, not today,” she shook her head. “I’m not in the right space ya know?”

Mateo nodded, “Alright, well... thanks again. Ya know I appreciate it.”

Claire gave him a curt nod and a small smile that didn’t meet her eyes, Mateo turned and walked into the building. 

She stared after him, looking forlorn.

——

Holder hadn’t moved from his spot on the bed in the holding cell. He appreciated Linden stopping by, though she had seemed troubled that he hadn’t looped her in on his plan to turn himself in, but he hoped she understood.

Honestly he had doubts about his plan the minute he stepped through the doors into the County station. Though he knew he had no friends there, when the cops who had been present realized who he was suddenly there had been seven guns pulled on him, and a dozen shouts telling him to get onto his knees. They’d cuffed him and taken him to the drunk tank where they had taken turns beating the shit out of him.

It stopped just as soon as it had began, but the damage had been done. Holder knew he looked like shit, he certainly felt like shit. He was pretty sure a few ribs that had been busted by the Indians a few weeks ago had broken again, part of the reason why he hadn’t moved from the bed. 

The door to the holding area opened, and Cami came inside with a forced smile, “Hey guapo.”

“Yo,” he gave her a genuine smile, “Listen, thanks again I really appreciate it.”

“Sure thing... I guess,” She was looking at injuries and winced. “They got ya pretty good, huh?”

“Nah, it’s nothin’, been worse if you can believe that.”

Cami huffed, “All of County wants your blood.”

“I think they got some of it,” Holder grinned.

She smiled and shook her head, “They really think you did Gil in.”

Holder nodded, “Yea I know. You still believe me?”

“I do. I never got the connect between the two-a-you, but I know it was special.”

He jerked his head up to her, “So was yours, once upon a time.”

She snorted, “Yeah... but I left Homicide.”

“Joined the dark side, did ya?”

The smile slowly left her face, “Sometimes it feels that way in Vice, it bein’ worse then Homicide I mean. Don’t get me wrong, killin’ people is bad but... with vice, the drugs man. Ruins people, ruins lives. Can turn the best person you know into a shell of their former self.”

“Yeah... I know.”

Cami sniffed and gave a shake of her head, “I gotta go. You hang in there guapo, Holder.”

He bobbed his head and watched her leave the room.

——

Sarah pulled up to Claire’s apartment building in Georgetown, and promptly got out of the car, just as Claire’s car pulled up to the building as well.

“Detective,” Claire got out of the car and reached inside pulling out a handbag. “Back again. What a surprise”

“Hello Miss Wallace, I was hoping I could ask you just a few more questions.”

Exasperated, Claire shrugged, “Sure, why not. Come on in.”

The two women headed inside of the building, “I just had a few more questions to ask you about Gil Sloane.”

They stood outside of Claire’s apartment door, “Look Detective,” she opened her handbag to search for her keys. “I don’t know what the hell else I could tell ya,” she found the keys and pulled them out, but as she did so she dropped them. Sarah kneeled down at the same time that Claire kneeled down to retrieve the keys, and Sarah saw inside of the handbag.

There was a pocket knife, the pocket knife. Sarah recognized it from the mold the coroner had given them.

Slowly, Sarah stood up, “Miss Wallace...”

Claire stood up as well and put the key into the lock of the door, “What?”

“I thought you told us... you said you didn’t own a pocket knife.”

Claire’s head jolted down, and an arm clamped the handbag closer to her body, she didn’t look back up as she spoke, “You shouldn’ta seen that.”

Sarah’s fingers reached for her sidearm, but Claire made no movements. 

After a tense silence, she spoke in a quiet voice, “I told him... I told Gil I couldn’t do it no more. I couldn’t pretend that I could give it up, that I had the will to live a life without it. Didn’t matter what, juice, oxy, dope, cristy... I couldn’t do it. I needed it.”

Linden tilted her head slightly, trying to catch Claire’s eye, “He didn’t try to stop you?”

“He knew he couldn’t, he tried before, and he was getting tired.” Claire looked up at Sarah, “the man was dying. He was disappointed, but he let it go. In fact he said I could help him, and myself.” 

Sarah’s hand hadn’t moved from where it hovered above her holster. She swallowed and watched Claire carefully, “How?” 

“He didn’t want to die from the cancer, he wanted to go out on his own terms... so he asked me to do it. Asked me to do it weeks ago. He said if I did, I could still see my kid, but I’d be clean, cause I’d be in prison.”

“And you agreed?”

Claire gave a half-hearted shrug, “At first... yeah.”

“At first?”

“I didn’t wanna let him down... I made Gil a promise, I wasn’t gonna go back on it. But I realized, I liked the drug more. I didn’t wanna do prison and be clean.”

“So, what? You framed Holder?” Claire nodded, utterly perplexed Linden did a half shrug, “How’d you get his gun?”

“The day we hooked up in his car, I switched ‘em. Stephen was out in some sorta way, he may not have been high, but he distressed beyond anythin’ I ever seen. He didn’t notice.”

“Whose gun did you give him?”

“Gil’s.”

Sarah shut her eyes, the information threatening to knock her down like a wave from the ocean. She opened her eyes and found Claire looking at her, the shame radiating from every pore in the woman’s body. 

“Miss Wallace, I need you to put the bag down, and put your hands against the wall.”

Slowly, Claire did as she asked. Once her hands were against the wall, Linden reached for her handcuffs and closed them around Claire’s wrists, “You’re under arrest for the murder of Gil Sloane, and obstruction of justice.”

Claire didn’t fight her, but she did start to cry. Sarah grabbed the handbag and walked back outside to the car putting Claire in the backseat. With her settled, Sarah grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number.

“This is Lieutenant Carlson.”

“Sir, I have Gil Sloane’s murderer in custody, I’m bringing her to the station now.”

“What?”

“She just confessed. We’re on our way. I thought you’d want to know.”

Sarah hung up the phone before Carlson could say anything else. She walked around the car and got behind the wheel and drove away.


	11. Epilogue

November 25, 2012 

The sky above Seattle, was a rare pale blue. The clouds in the sky were vibrant white, a vast difference from the usual gray. Flocks of birds and seagulls flew overhead crying and flying into the sun, and the leaves on the trees were bright and colorful now that it was fall. 

Sarah noticed all of this as she stood at a comfortable distance from the burial taking place ahead. She reasoned that she hadn’t known Gil Sloane in his, for lack of a better word, glory days. She had only known him when they had been at odds with each other, and they’d never been friends, so it hadn’t felt right to be intrusive. 

Linden had gone to the service with Holder only because he had asked her to be there. At the end he had been swarmed by his fellow deputies, all of whom were now groveling after they learned of his innocence, and she had simply followed the police motorcade to the cemetery. 

The bagpipe player stepped forward and began to play, the color guard moved forward and picked up the American flag that rested on Gil’s casket, before they began to fold it. Once it had been folded, one of the officers walked over and handed it to an elderly woman who must have been Gil’s mother. 

The group began to disperse and Sarah saw Holder walking towards her. He had been pretty quiet all day, his eyes were red and he sniffed continually, when he looked up at her she gave him a kind smile, which he reciprocated. They stood side by side, their hands in their pockets watching the casket be lowered into the ground.

“Service was beautiful,” said Sarah.

Holder nodded, “Yeah, yeah it was.” He chuckled and shook his head, “Man, Gil would've shit bricks if he knew how fancy his funeral turned out to be.”

Sarah chuckled and turned to look at Holder, “Yeah?”

“Oh yeah,” Holder nodded with a watery smile, “they brought out the motorcade, and that 21-gun salute I mean...” he whistled then shook his head and looked down.

Sarah looked back at the burial site, they had started to fill in the grave. Gil’s mother, a very old frail woman, hadn’t moved, “How is she taking it?”

“Who? His moms?” Holder sniffed and looked up at Gil’s mom as well, “She’s... heartbroken, ya know? Don’t think she saw this comin’, her bein’ ancient and all, she probs thought she was goin’ first.”

“Holder...” Sarah admonished.

“It’s true!” Holder laughed as a tear fell down his cheek, “I think I heard she’s got some friends I think? They’re stayin’ with her, helpin’ her out. I mean... she lost her son.”

Holder’s gaze became distant and unseeing, Sarah turned to look at him, “And how are you?”

He sniffed and shrugged, “Me? Serial chiller that I am? I’m good,” he turned his head to give her a smile.

Sarah looked up at him, “Wanna get outta here?”

Holder nodded, “Yeah... yeah let’s go.”

The detectives turned and walked to the winding pavement that ran through the cemetery.

“You wanna come back to my place?” asked Linden, “I have more boxes unpacked now, so it’s looking more like a home and not an empty husk. And I have sheets on the beds.”

“Oof you fancy now huh?”

Sarah smirked, “So what do you say?”

Holder smiled, “Yeah, okay. That sounds nice.”

As they walked by a tree with beautiful orange and red leaves, a bird flew onto the branch, and began to sing. Holder stopped for a moment to listen, as Linden continued to walk ahead. The bird flew away and Holder stood there still for a moment. A small smile spread on his lips, then he turned to go and join his partner.


End file.
